TheMReport

TH E M R EP O RT | 25 FEATURE MCS Valuations is committed to providing the best possible service and most reliable value to our clients. Backed by industry-leading data and experts with decades of experience, MCS Valuations is your trusted resource for all of your valuation needs. 8 0 0 . 7 9 1 . 7 1 4 5 | M C S V A L U A T I O N S . C O M | I N F O @ M C S V A L U A T I O N S . C O M the back door of the aircraft like in most cargo air drops, as this would cause too much drag at the high elevation. There was also too high a chance the large door could freeze open. So instead, Pray had to use the smaller side door for the drop. He also had to ensure the crew was properly trained to do it quickly and accurately; frostbite could occur in as little as a few minutes. On top of all these challenges, Pray said the convergence of magnetic fields at the South Pole wreaks havoc with most tradition - al flight instruments, so the mission also required special procedures to keep the flight on course. Ultimately, the mission was a success, and Nelson received her medications quickly and intact. But its daunting challenges stay with Pray, often inspiring him in his work at Operation Homefront to this day. Just as Operation Deep Freeze required juggling many plates and overcoming numerous challenges, so does spearheading Operation Homefront. But like Deep Freeze, the final product—being able to help a fellow citizen in need—is well worth the effort in the end. There's No "I" in Team P ray isn't the only person who makes Operation Homefront what it is today. In fact, according to the organization's CFAO (Chief Financial and Accountability Of - ficer), Laura Yzaguirre, the group is home to a full team of workers who are absolutely dedicated to veterans and their families. "Everyone here has an extreme passion for our mission," Yzaguirre said. "When you help a military family, it's priceless. I've been here for eight years. We've grown from a staff of just over 30 to 117." Yzaguirre said that Pray has done a great job filling Operation Homefront's ranks. "He's brought in the right people in the right positions," she said. "The organization needs passionate people first. He's a true and passionate leader who has brought us to the next level. He makes sure we do things right." One of the most important things that Operation Homefront does right is handle donor dollars in the correct way, Yzaguirre said. As she and Pray point out, 92 percent of the organization's expenditures go to its programs, earning Operation Homefront Charity Navigator's prestigious 4-star rating—a rating the orga - nization has received nine years running. The group has also re- ceived an "A" rating from Charity Watch. At a time when many charity organizations are catching flak for misusing donations, this means good things for the future of Operation Homefront. "This is truly one of the best organizations for supporting the military and their families," Yzaguirre said. www.operationhomefront.net PHIL BRITT started covering mortgages and other financial services matters for a suburban Chicago newspaper in the mid-1980s before joining Savings Institutions Magazine in 1992. When the publication moved his offices to Washington, D.C., in 1993, he started his own editorial services firm and continued to cover mortgages, other financial services subjects, and technology for a variety of websites and publications.

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