SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 24, 2026--
USAA today announced Lieutenant General David F. Melcher, U.S. Army (Retired), has been named Chairman of the USAA Board of Directors, succeeding Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired) James M. Zortman as part of a planned leadership transition.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260824550403/en/
In the military, a change of command marks both an ending and a beginning. It is a moment to recognize the leaders who carried the responsibility of command while entrusting that responsibility to the leader who will carry it forward. For USAA, a company founded by 25 soldiers and built to serve the military community, the transition reflects that same tradition of stewardship and service.
Zortman concludes his tenure as Chairman after having served on the USAA Board of Directors since 2013 and as Chairman since 2021. A longstanding USAA member for 54 years, his service to the Association has spanned a period of transformation. As Chairman, he helped provide oversight as USAA strengthened its financial and operational foundation, navigated a rapidly changing insurance and financial services environment and sharpened its focus on delivering for members.
“This is an important moment for USAA, and one that comes with a great deal of gratitude,” said Juan C. Andrade, President and CEO of USAA. “Vice Admiral Zortman has given so much to this Association. His steady leadership, judgment and commitment to our members have helped guide us through periods of considerable change, and we are stronger because of it. Lieutenant General Melcher is the right leader to build on that progress. He knows USAA, understands our members and brings tremendous experience and perspective to the role. I look forward to working with him as we continue strengthening USAA, delivering for our members and positioning the Association for what comes next.”
Melcher assumes the Chairman role after nearly seven years of service on the USAA Board, most recently as Vice Chairman. During that time, he has helped oversee the Association’s strategy and shape its direction.
“I am proud to serve as Chairman of an Association that has meant so much to me and my family for more than five decades,” said Melcher. I have seen firsthand what this Association means to the military families we serve. I look forward to working with my fellow directors, Juan and the USAA team to build on the progress underway, keep our members at the center of our decisions and ensure USAA continues earning their trust every day.”
Melcher served more than three decades in the U.S. Army before holding senior leadership roles in the private sector. He also brings extensive corporate governance experience, having served in board leadership roles across the defense, aerospace and health care industries.
He has remained actively involved in the military community through his work with nonprofit organizations supporting service members, veterans and their families. Melcher has also been a USAA member for more than 51 years, giving him both a personal connection to the Association and a deep understanding of the responsibility USAA carries for its members.
A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Melcher holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Master of Public Administration from Shippensburg University.
About USAA
Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and retirement solutions and serves more than 14.5 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and four overseas locations and employs more than 36,000 people worldwide. Each year, USAA supports national and local nonprofits serving military families and communities. With Honor Through Action, USAA advances policy, advocacy and philanthropy to support financial security, build meaningful careers and promote overall well-being across the military community. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or X (@usaa), or visit usaa.com.
New Chairman of the USAA Board of Directors Lieutenant General (Retired) David F. Melcher, U.S. Army
GENEVA (AP) — The Champions League's Cinderella club Bodø/Glimt is one game away from returning to the 36-team main draw being made Thursday alongside the wealthy giants of European soccer like title holder Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
With the final seven Champions League entries to be decided in playoffs this week, the Norwegian fishing town team holds a 3-1 lead hosting Dutch debutant NEC Nijmegen at its Arctic Circle home on Tuesday.
Norway could have two teams advance as domestic champion Viking hosts Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday with the teams tied at 2-2. The Croatian champion wasted an early two-goal lead in the first leg last Tuesday.
The Champions League draw ceremony starts at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) Thursday in Monaco, when the local team will be preparing to kick off about 10 minutes’ drive away in the Conference League playoffs.
Monaco defending a 3-2 first-leg lead over Gornik Zabrze is among 36 playoff second legs this week in the second-tier Europa League and third-tier Conference League to finalize lineups for those draws being made Friday.
After winning games against Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League, Bodø/Glimt started this time in qualifying needing to advance through two rounds in August.
Glimt has scored three goals in each of its three games so far, first eliminating Union Saint-Gilloise 6-5 on aggregate score. Almost its entire squad was retained with just one big-money exit, selling Denmark forward Kasper Høgh to Celtic for a reported 11 million pounds ($15 million).
Høgh and Celtic also are in action Tuesday, taking a 3-0 first-leg lead to Austria against LASK.
Israel’s champion Hapoel Beer-Sheva has a 2-1 lead going to Azerbaijan to face Sabah, a club which was created just nine years ago.
Lyon, now owned by U.S. investor Michele Kang, hosts Fenerbahce on Wednesday tied at 1-1.
Pot 1: Paris Saint-Germain (France), Bayern Munich (Germany), Real Madrid (Spain), Liverpool (England), Inter Milan (Italy), Manchester City (England), Arsenal (England), Barcelona (Spain), Atletico Madrid (Spain).
Pot 2: Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Roma (Italy), Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), Aston Villa (England), Porto (Portugal), Manchester United (England), Club Brugge (Belgium), Real Betis (Spain), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands).
Pot 3: Feyenoord (Netherlands), Lille (France), Napoli (Italy), Leipzig (Germany), Villarreal (Spain), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Galatasaray (Turkey) — possibly Slavia Prague (Czech Republic).
Pot 4: Stuttgart (Germany), Como (Italy), Lens (France). Seven playoff winners are yet to be decided.
The draw sees UEFA's software program allocate eight opponents to each team, with two coming from each seeding pot.
The first round of games is played over three evenings from Sept. 8-10 — the only games before the new and expanded four-game international break for national teams that starts Sept. 24.
The Champions League resumes Oct. 13 with the second round. The sixth round is played Dec. 8-9 before a break until January. The eighth and final round with all 36 teams playing simultaneously is Jan. 27.
The Europa League has a stronger look than last season with AC Milan, Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen waiting in the draw Friday for the eight-round league phase.
So too are a curious group from England — Conference League title holder Crystal Palace, European debutant Bournemouth and Sunderland, which last played in a UEFA competition 53 years ago.
The prize for lifting the trophy next May in Frankfurt, Germany, is a ticket to the Champions League.
Second legs in the qualifying playoffs are on Thursday with some played during the Champions League draw.
Those games include Mo Salah’s Trabzonspor trailing 1-0 before going to Hungary to face Ferencvaros, plus former European Cup winners Benfica and Red Star Belgrade.
It has been a tough season for some of the feelgood story domestic title holders who were already eliminated in Champions League qualifying rounds.
Swiss champion Thun — edged out of Champions League qualifying by Dinamo Zagreb — lost 7-0 at Lech Poznan in the first leg of its Europa League playoff. Sweden’s Mjällby goes to Salzburg on Thursday after a 1-0 loss at home.
All losers in Europa League playoffs get places in the Conference League main phase played over just six rounds until December.
The Conference League also has teams that identify as Champions League regulars: Ajax, Atalanta, Monaco.
Freiburg drops down a level after being the Europa League beaten finalist in May while Brighton aims to make it three straight English winners after Chelsea and its main rival Palace.
No one gets a free pass into the six-round league stage and all must navigate the playoffs round this week.
Atalanta, the 2024 Europa League winner, looks most at risk after a 0-0 draw in the first leg at home to Hapoel Tel-Aviv. The return is in neutral Hungary.
Andorra shapes to have a first-ever team in a main phase, with Inter Escaldes hosting Drita of Kosovo tied at 2-2. Larne of Northern Ireland takes a 2-0 lead into its home leg against Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
Trabzonspor's Mohamed Salah in action during the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Aug.15, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Celtic's Camilo Duran celebrates after scoring their side's second goal during the Champions League play-off first leg match between Celtic and LASK in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)
FILE - PSG's head coach Luis Enrique celebrates after the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, May 30, 2026. AP Photo/Armin Durgut, File)
