Bestwork Industries for the Blind, Inc. is an independent, not-for-profit agency founded in 1981 to provide employment opportunities to people who are blind or visually impaired. What began as a small state contract workshop has evolved into a dynamic organization guided by the principles of lean manufacturing, technology and automation, and the quality management system ISO 9001:2015.With a staggering 70% rate of unemployment for people who are blind, we make recruitment, training and employment a priority so our staff is prepared to deliver real value to our customers. We do this through a supportive work environment, state-of-the-art equipment, and strategic partnerships.Our core competencies include textile manufacturing, military apparel construction, paper converting, packing, warehouse and distribution, and commercial sewing.

As Vice President for Business Development, Channel Management and Retail, Jon led strategic growth initiatives, global distribution and military resale efforts.

Independent Consultant providing strategy and operations advisory and assistance services, to include strategic planning, business operations, capture management, program management and alliance management. Assisted a start-up 8(a) with strategic planning and business operations advisory services.

Provided Executive Management, leadership, strategic direction, and management for all activities of the business unit. Full P&L, account management, delivery and quality oversight, and client relationship management responsibilities. Penetrated NAVAIR and SPAWAR markets. Built formidable $90+M business development pipeline. Awarded $99M NAVAIR IDIQ MAC. Increased Footprint/Revenue on Navy PEO-EIS RAIT and U.S. Marine Corps MCNOSC programs.

Led Defense practice; reported to the CEO; responsible for P&L, Strategic Account growth, program oversight, delivery and quality, client relationship management, operating budgets, and personnel management. Business unit led the company in earned revenue/net profit for each calendar year he presided, driving approximately 75% of annual corporate revenue at 50+% Gross Margins and constituted over 50% of the corporate staff. Led more than two dozen Defense programs, across five accounts (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, ODA), and four service lines (acquisition, program management, organizational performance and IT service management). Provided direct oversight to Account Managers and defense business operations & project control. Member of the Senior Executive Management Team, helped lead, influence and shape a $6M, 30-employee company into a $20+ M, 100-employee firm with Inc. 500 status four years in a row. Involved in corporate strategic planning (vision, mission, direction, balanced scorecard), budget formulation/execution, comprehensive workforce review, HR policy, recruiting, and corporate operations (contracts, finance & accounting, program management, project control). Collaborated with and achieved actionable results through others, built strong, sustainable relationships and interacted effectively at all levels of the organization. Also the leader/mentor of the company’s Program Management Service Line where he developed the strategic plan, established a community of practice, formulated a Program Management Maturity Model, and was instrumental in the implementation of corporate program management industry best practices.

Regional Operations Manager for 50+ person business unit providing specialty engineering and technical assistance (SETA) support to Marine Corps activities; developed strategic plan, participated in development of annual operations plans and budget, key management actions, quarterly performance management reviews and long-range financial and operational forecasts for the business unit; developed, tracked and reported to upper-level management complete information regarding results of operations, including financial condition of the business unit. Provided oversight and direction to the finance, project control, and operations teams. Coordinated capture planning, organized proposal development; principle liaison to market sectors for business development; led and managed capture planning and proposal development efforts for FedBizOpps, CEOss, SeaPort, NECO & GSA opportunities. Upgraded and implemented an appropriate system of policies, internal controls, and procedures. Responsible for training, leading, mentoring junior technical staff; set & evaluated goals, conducted performance reviews, assisted in project staffing/hiring; administered policies and practices related to employee professional and career development, to include Diversity and EEO programs. Led Group Diversity Action Team.

Managing Partner, $15+M Sales Volume Annually. Planned, organized, executed all aspects of business operations – conducted strategic planning and developed annual business plans, budgeting, finance & accounting, IT/infrastructure support. Conducted detailed market analysis; executed extensive, multi-faceted marketing campaign; performed prospecting, sales presentations, contract execution & administration; and, supervised settlement coordination. As General Manager, managed business operations, including developing/administering the business budget, providing oversight to finance & accounting, developing the strategic plan, driving business development, implementing business operational best practices, and leading the Board of Directors of 70-agent brokerage firm producing $100+M Sales Volume; P&L responsibility; in 8 months took office from deficit/loss carried forward to the two most profitable months ever; recruited agent force – in 10 months took office from net 29 agents to 70; trained agent base through the establishment of a multi-faceted Career Development Program. Participated in the development and implementation of corporate business systems, policies, and programs. Established practices and procedures to ensure the highest level of professional standards in conducting business activities and for building long-lasting relationships with company employees, clients, and business partners. Responsible for the hiring, firing, promotion and training of employees within the organization, and for ensuring organizational compliance with the company's affirmative action and other personnel programs. Advised the Principal Owner and other key members of the Board on financial planning, budgeting, cash flow, fiscal priorities, and policy matters. Served as the management liaison to the Board. Analyzed the current technology infrastructure and scoped out the next level of information technology and financial systems to support the growth of the organization overall.

Principle Advisor to Assistant Commandant, USMC Manpower for enterprise-wide system; 45+ Personnel, dispersed globally/internationally; facilitator of 12-man Quality Leadership Board (Board of Directors); led 25-man Integrated Product Team; $12+M Annual Budget; USMC representative for POM/DoD budgetary process; met specifications, fielded system on schedule, under budget; he led and managed a USMC enterprise-wide, web-based, paperless, human resource system from concept inception, through R&D to implementation, thus revolutionizing modern-day personnel administration in the Marine Corps. He supervised the development of a web-portal, conducted Business Process Reengineering, and organizational paradigm change management by revamping the entire Marine Corps personnel administration business processes which resulted in enterprise-wide consolidation/reorganization of personnel administration centers.

Led 90+ Personnel (75-man Sales force, 15-man Staff – Training, Operations, Budget, Administration, Facilities, Logistics), dispersed regionally among 3 separate Military Entrance Processing Stations and 22 Offices (covering South Florida, Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands); provided strategic direction and supervised business operations – HR/personnel administration, IT/office automation, finance & accounting, procurement, vehicle fleet and infrastructure support for all 22 offices; $23+M dollar budget – Training, Facilities, Equipment, Advertising; developed annual business plan & training program; met or exceeded goals 36 consecutive months w/ 120% sales production; innovative process improvement led to permanent doctrinal changes to Marine Corps systematic recruiting; extensive multi-faceted marketing & public relations campaign. Recruiting Station of the Year 3-times; Recipient of 3 Commandant’s Superior Achiever Awards.

Led 215+ Personnel; provided strategic direction and supervised business operations – HR/personnel administration, IT/office equipment, finance & accounting, procurement, and all infrastructure support; administered multi-million-dollar budget – Facilities, Equipment, Training, Public Relations; successfully executed highest operational tempo in the Marine Corps for similar-sized units; performed global supply chain, maintenance, transportation & general just-in-time (JIT) logistics support; conducted ground, air, rail & maritime terminal operations; executed Joint Inter-Agency Task Force operations in support of globally dispersed operating forces. Planned, organized, executed, and supervised the business operations for the 2nd-largest Toys-for-Tots program west of the Mississippi; chartered one of the first Toys-for-Tots Community Committees in the nation and served as Chairman of the Board for two years. Twice recognized by the Commanding General as the most outstanding service support organization.

Jon led and managed all aspects of business operations to include annual strategic planning, HR/administration, finance & accounting/annual budget, enterprise IT support, and office infrastructure. Jon was an unlimited, unrestricted Contracting Officer and led the Mid-Atlantic Regional procurement activity with 95+ Personnel across five branches (60+ Procurement & Contract Specialists, 25+ Quality Assurance Branch, 10+ Staff – Training, Operations, Budget, Administration, IT, Logistics); $60M+ volume annually - largest field contracting activity in USMC; met or exceeded all Federal and military procurement performance standards. Capitalizing on the team-approach, he applied advanced theories, principles and concepts, developed highly creative solutions to complex challenges, and identified and obtained the resources necessary to positively influence the strategic direction of the organization. Piloted Total Quality Management for the Marine Corps with extensive process improvement and business reengineering; Business Process Improvement efforts streamlined purchasing process for mid-Atlantic contracting region reducing procurement award lead-time (PALT) over 50%; piloted the enterprise-wide credit card small purchase program and established the first automated purchase system. Recipient of Commander in Chief’s Award for Excellence & Secretary of the Navy’s Procurement Competition Award.During the Gulf War, Jon directed procurement for Marine Forces in Southwest-Asia; 35+ personnel; $250+M volume; drove business development/procurement of services & supply chain/JIT support for operating forces; established standard operating procedures and doctrine for Deployed Contracting Detachments in support of U.S. Forces; developed organizational structure and business operational model; supervised business operations for offices in Saudi Arabia (2), Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates.

1986-1989: Logistics Operations Officer, BLT 1/1, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC), led 154+ Personnel; administered multi-million-dollar budget; managed all aspects of logistical support for a 3,000-man Marine Expeditionary Unit – Special Operations Capable (MEU SOC) across a 4-ship Naval Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). Responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, executing and supervising the execution of all logistics functions and the functional areas of combat service support (CSS), including supply chain management, maintenance management, transportation, general engineering, health services, and general services -(ammunition, food services). Served as assistant to the MEU SOC Commander as a member of his executive staff. Provided direct oversight to the embarkation officer, maintenance management officer, motor transport officer, landing support officers, and as well as for the administrative and tactical unit movement of personnel, supplies, and equipment by all modes of transportation. Executed multiple, sometimes simultaneous, joint operations in support of contingencies in the Western Pacific/Pacific Rim area of operations. 1982-1986: Infantry Officer- Platoon Commander, Executive Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, Aide-de-Camp