The founder of the Wounded Warrior Project said he would cut back on salaries and overall spending if he is named CEO again.
John Melia founded the organization more than a decade ago, but resigned in 2010 after he said he disagreed with the direction the charity was headed.
"The organization right now needs a leader with a conscience," Melia said. "The organization after I left lost its heart and it lost its soul."
Melia is now hoping to rejoin the organization after its Chief Executive Officer Steve Nardizzi and Chief Operational Officer Al Giordano were fired last week following allegations of overspending on lavish parties and high salaries.
Melia said if he is named CEO, he would work without a salary for the first six months in an effort to help get spending back on track.
He said he plans to cap salaries at $199,000 for the CEO, no longer allowing the nearly $500,000 given to Nardizzi during his time with the WWP.
Melia said he would also not allow lavish spending on parties and conferences like the one held in Colorado, where Nardizzi was seen on video rappelling down the side of a building.
"This is not about parties," Melia said. “This is not about whatever was going on there. I can’t imagine the hotel bill, the food bill, the rental cars. It may be legal but it’s not right."
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Melia said his family spoke out against the high salaries in 2011, but was shut out by the organization.
Action News Jax asked Melia if he felt any responsibility lies with the board of directors.
"There’s no doubt about it," Melia said. "They are good men and I certainly thank them for their board service, but they were totally derelict in their fiduciary responsibility to the organization. That’s very clear. They approve the budgets for this lavish spending."
Melia said he would also put a stop to the solcitiation of donors through television ads.
"It was insulting," Melia said. "These are proud Americans who volunteer for our country and they were wounded, and to use their family members crying on TV and begging for charity is not something that I ever wanted to see."
Action News Jax asked Melia if he feels responsible for what has happened to the organization.
"Do I, John Melia, feel personally responsible? Yes, I do, because I hired Steve Nardizzi and Al Giordano and Bruce Nitsche and Adama Silva and John Sullivan and a number of other executive vice presidents in that company."
Melia said he's hoping to now help the organization restore its reputation.
"Today I want to come back to restore order," Melia said.
Melia said he also wants to create an officer for integrity and compliance who would report directly to the board of directors.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH JOHN MELIA:
PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3
Cox Media Group
