Born in the Netherlands during World War II, Mr. VanDerZalm and his immediate family
immigrated to the United States in 1957. The family initially settled in St.
Louis, Missouri, where he attended High School and graduated in 1961.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1962. After completing his Army
training he moved to Chicago, where he married, raised five children and completed
his college education, majoring in accounting.
While
his children were growing up, Mr. VanDerZalm’s hobbies included coaching and
officiating youth soccer games. After his children were grown, he turned his
attention to flying. Mr. VanDerZalm joined the Civil Air Patrol and
participated in numerous search and rescue missions as a mission pilot, achieving
the rank of Captain.
In
1969 he joined the firm of Price Waterhouse & Co. as a staff accountant in the
small business audit division. After his promotion to senior auditor and
handling several special audits, including fraud investigations and bankruptcies, he
started his own public accounting practice in the Chicago area in 1973, which he
operated for the next twenty years. During this period he handled several
special projects as well as testifying as an expert witness in the Illinois as well
as U.S. District Court. He prides himself on never having lost a tax
case.
In
1993 he accepted a five week financial consulting assignment in the Middle
East. Mr. VanDerZalm was unjustly imprisoned where he learned specific details
regarding planned terrorist activities to be directed against U.S. targets.
After relaying this information to the local U.S. Consulate, he suddenly found
himself in perpetual detainment. Five years later, through a twist of fate, he
was temporarily released from prison and escaped the country by shipping himself in
a crate to Amsterdam.
