Ismael Ortiz, Jr.

TOPIC:
Who are we carrying?

Ismael "Junior" Ortiz is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Marines and former Acting Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment. His career spans over 30 years working in government, corporate and the nonprofit sector. His responsibilities ranged from leading thousands of Marines to managing fiscal budgets of millions of dollars, building communities and pass critical legislation.

He served as an enlisted man before being accepted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland where he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Marines. His twenty-seven-year career in the Marines encompassed many diverse assignments ranging from Administration, Communication, Counterdrug Operations, Recruiting, Marketing and Advertising for the Marine Corps to professor and coach at the Naval Academy.

Today, as a Research Professor of Leadership at the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership, Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University, he conducts workshops to help students focus on personal leadership and management of human talent while developing strategic plans used to recruit, hire, and work with diverse populations. He has served on many Corporate Boards and national organizations and has participated in numerous White House Task Forces and public policy initiatives. He is a Life Member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, the Military Officers Association of America, the American Legion, Carry The Load volunteer and Ambassador.