Walter (David) Jorza

Today David Jorza is keeping watch on your and my tax dollars as he is one of the key government employees who monitors the Pentagon spending and credit programs.  His route to that very responsible job is quite interesting.

After graduation Dave took a job at McKelvey’s department store in the accounting section.  At the same time he attended various classes in Data Processing at YSU and other learning institutions.

He also played trumpet in a small dance band.  “I played one night at the Blue Crystal in Girard with Bobby Day of Rockin Robin fame.

But Vietnam was growing and Dave thought it best to enlist.  He joined the Air Force and trained as a Jet Mechanic.  After training he was posted to Okinawa at Kadina, and later to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas Nevada.

At the end of his commitment in 1965 Dave returned to Girard and went to work at the Ohio Leather Company.  He was in the Research and Development office.  In 1971 Dave was asked by the President of the Ohio Leather to close down the company's "Wet End" operations.   Girard was closing down.

That same President coordinated Dave’s securing a position with the Brown Shoe Company, Moenich Tanning in Gowanda New York where Dave became their Suede Tannery Manager and Shipping Coordinator.   This division was responsible for the delivery of 300,000 square feet of side leather and 50,000 square feet of suede lining for Brown Shoes each week.

In Gowanda Dave joined Kiwanis and became Vice President and finally President.  One of his responsibilities was organizing the 4^th of July parade.

Dave and his first wife divorced  in 1980.

By 1983 it was time to move on.  Dave accepted a Vice President position with Walker Shoe Company in Chicago.  His job was to cut costs and improve deliveries.  Chicago became his favorite city.  He says, “There are some Great memories while living in Chicago.  My kind of Town, Chicago.”

This was a bad time for tanneries.  They were closing due to foreign competition.

In 1985 Dave accepted  to run operations at a small tannery in Salem Mass. “We colored the Celtic Green suede leather that we provided to Converse to make the Boston Celtics Celtic Green Tennis Shoes”  Dave explains.

The tannery closings continued and in 6 months, after 20 years in the industry, Dave found himself without an industry.

“My mom and dad always told me to do the best you can and you will know when the time is right to do what you need to do,” he says.

“I returned to Ohio as my home base and applied for various Federal Government openings and went back to each place where I had lived and applied for employment opportunities,” he explains.  “I was working in Saugus, MA when I followed up on a few interviews and was called back and asked to move to Detroit MI in 1986 to work for the Department of Defense as an Industrial Specialist.”

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“That is when you one may realize what a small world we live in.” he says.  “One of the first companies I had to contact was a gasket manufacturer, Chicago Leather in Chicago.  I was a member of The American Leather Chemists Associations during my leather days and knew some of the workers at the Chicago factory”

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Dave met Jeralyn in Detroit in 1992.  They were married  May 14, 1994.  .

The couple lived in Novi, MI as Dave worked in the  Detroit office located at the Tank and Automobile Command in Warren MI.  In 1994 Dave accepted a position on Staff Implementing Policy and Procedures, Metrics Manager and responsibilities for Western Michigan Prime contractors and Small Businesses with DoD contracts. 

In 2001 a new opportunity presented itself.  Dave and Jeralyn were off to Sunnyvale California where Dave became Assistant Director of Small Business for DCMA San Francisco.  The couple moved to Elk Grove, California.  In 2003 Dave transferred to Southern California to work at the DCMA West District Headquarters.  They moved to Palm Desert (Palm Springs) California.  At that time he brought his mother out to California.  In 2006 they moved from Palm Desert and today spend their time between living in Long Beach CA and Henderson, NV (near Las Vegas). 

His mom lives today at  the Portofino in Henderson, NV. 

“My step children Tanya and Wally also live in California making it easy for us to visit. Jeralyn and I have one more addition, a gift from our children.  It is Cookie our Shih Tsu,” Dave explains. 

“I now can relate to 20 years in leather manufacturing and 28 years of Government Contracting experience as an Industrial Specialist, EEO Counselor, Facilitator, and Contract Administrator, Assistant Director of Small Business, DCMA West, HQ Procurement Policy Analyst and today a DCMAC-CP Mentor Protégé Program Manager,” Dave says. 

Dave has the responsibilities to monitor US Department of Army, MDA reimbursable, and DCMAC-CP credit agreements.  He also participates as a member of the Army Mentor Protégé Proposal review team.  He coordinates his actions with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), buying command procurement contracting office and Army Pentagon staff which evaluates new proposal submissions. 

As Program Manager, Dave specializes in “Return on Investment” analysis. 

When not traveling by air or sea we get around Vegas in my 98 Firebird. We like the entertainment Vegas offers and we like doing fun things and car shows.
 

Today Jeralyn and I are still having fun.  Each day is another challenge and another opportunity. 

Another great day is on its way and as my mother and Jeralyn will tell me to always remember to never get old.

Dave says life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to  it.  ATTITUDE!!!!!