President and COO Darryl Vincent Named Successor
U.S.VETS Chief Executive Officer and Marine veteran Stephen Peck will retire at the end of 2024 after more than 28 years at U.S.VETS—14 of them at the helm of the largest nonprofit service provider dedicated to preventing and ending veteran homelessness. As part of a planned transition, the board of directors has appointed U.S.VETS’ second in command, Darryl Vincent as the new president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2025.
“It’s been my distinct honor to serve my fellow veterans. I’m deeply proud of what we’ve collectively accomplished at U.S.VETS, helping tens of thousands of homeless veterans have a place to call home and reclaim their self-worth and dignity,” said Peck.
“What our teams across the country are achieving in guiding these men and women toward independence in the community and supporting their recovery humbles me every single day. Their dedication and compassion show me we can still win this fight. I expect to see even greater things from this exceptional organization in the years to come.”
Peck served with the Marines in Vietnam after graduating from Northwestern University, where he studied film, influenced by his father, actor Gregory Peck. His life was forever shaped by his service as a first lieutenant in the 1st Marine Division as a forward observer outside Danang, Vietnam. He returned home and became a documentary filmmaker, earning praise for Heart of the Warrior and Far from Home, the latter about homeless Vietnam veterans living in Venice, Calif. The experience inspired him to become a full-time advocate for homeless veterans and take an active role in solving an escalating problem. While earning his Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California, he served as an outreach worker at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, finding unhoused veterans on the streets and connecting them to care. In 1996, he was recruited to U.S.VETS as director of community development and later became inaugural director of its Long Beach site before taking the reins of the national organization in 2010.
On Peck’s watch, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States has dropped by about half, from 74,087 in 2010 to 35,574 in 2023. This year in LA County, veteran homelessness declined 23 percent.
Starting with five clients in Inglewood, Calif., in 1993, U.S.VETS has grown to 45 residential and service sites across the country, helping more than 12,000 veterans every year access housing, mental health treatment, employment, food security and other supportive services. Twelve new affordable housing developments are in progress, including what will be the largest permanent supportive housing community in the nation with 1,200 new homes serving more than 3,000 veterans and families on the West LA VA campus.
Under Peck’s leadership, U.S.VETS has grown four-fold, with services across Southern California, Hawai’i, Arizona, Nevada, Texas and Washington, DC. Peck also championed the launch of U.S.VETS’ homeless prevention programs focused on employment, mental health, suicide prevention, peer support and female veterans. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society noted the nonprofit’s exemplary efforts, awarding U.S.VETS its 2023 Community Service Award for demonstrating the values embodied by the Medal of Honor.
Peck is president of California Association of Veteran Service Agencies, a consortium of seven nonprofit veteran service providers working in partnership to address the needs of California’s veterans. He also serves on the board of directors of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, which leads federal advocacy work on behalf of veterans nationwide.
“As U.S.VETS’ longest-serving CEO, Steve has been an extraordinary leader whose conviction and passion exemplify the best of humanity. Despite the challenges of navigating a crisis as daunting as veteran homelessness, Steve has persevered and shown incredible resolve to a vital mission, growing the organization exponentially and proving his brand of advocacy can lead to better outcomes for our veterans and our communities,” said Board Chair Carlos Contreras. “Strong leaders require strong successors, and we believe Darryl’s track record with U.S.VETS over the past two decades positions us very well to continue our legacy of service to veterans and their families.”
Vincent, who started with U.S.VETS in 2003, is the current president and chief operating officer responsible for national programs and operations while advancing the mission with external stakeholders. A Marine Corps veteran, Vincent was instrumental in growing U.S.VETS Hawai’i, leading the expansion of Barber’s Point and opening Wai‘anae, earning him the Honolulu Star-Bulletin’s “10 Who Made a Difference in Hawaii” and the “Unsung Hero” award from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. Vincent also serves on the Dept. of Veterans Affairs Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.
Though Peck will retire this year, he will continue his work with U.S.VETS, focusing on the West LA VA housing development, advocacy for veterans nationwide and his personal commitment to ensure no one who served our country is sleeping on its streets. He continues to embody the Marine motto “Always Faithful.”