Jon Fussell

Born in the Panama Canal Zone, the son of a U.S. Army Green Beret medical doctor, Jon Fussell is one of four U.S. Navy SEALs in his family. After graduating from Old Dominion University in 1994 where he was captain of his Division One wrestling team, he enlisted in the Navy. He completed BUD/s (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training) and served as Sniper and Tactical Communicator at SEAL Team Four.

In 1999 he was selected for Officer Candidate School, earned his commission, and returned to the SEAL Teams as an officer. After serving in the leadership positions of Platoon and Task Unit Commander at SEAL Teams Three, Ten, Four, and SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two he earned assignment to Joint Special Operation Command’s Naval Special Warfare Development Group. At Development Group, he served as a Troop Commander and Operations Officer for two of JSOC’s primary assault squadrons. Commander Fussell led hundreds of combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom from 2001-2011; including numerous National Level missions and the formation of the first ever U.S. led personal security detail for the president of Iraq. Among other awards, he has earned four Bronze Stars with Valor, and two Presidential Unit Citations. During his service, he was schooled in a wide range of military skills, including diving, parachuting, mountaineering, communications, weaponry, mini-sub piloting and navigation, and earned his Master’s Degree in Defense Analysis from Naval Postgraduate School.

While pursuing his Master’s Degree, Fussell and his team partnered with dozens of Fortune 500 companies in order to compose a thesis focused on the identification, grooming and retention of high potential leaders within organizations. This work was later instrumental in the creation of The Honor Foundation, a nonprofit focused on aiding Veterans of the Special Operations Community in their transition to the civilian sector post their military service. In preparation for his own retirement, Fussell studied leadership in the public sector through executive education programs at both Harvard and Oxford, trained as a Life Coach with I-PEC and received his Investment Foundations Certification from the CFA Institute.

Now retired from the SEAL Teams, Fussell works at Wellington Management Company as the Business Manager for the Global Trading Team. Additionally, he has founded Patriot Leadership Development where he works with senior executives and their teams on a whole mind and body approach to leadership.

Above all, Fussell is a devoted family man who loves nothing more than time with his family. From a day at the beach to a weekend of rock climbing, Fussell never misses an opportunity to share new experiences with his wife and three children.