The Author

CAPTAIN

DANA R. GORDON

UNITED STATES NAVY, Retired

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Captain Gordon graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech, was commissioned through their NROTC program, and later earned his Navy Wings of Gold as a Helicopter Pilot and Unrestricted Naval Aviator. During his Naval career he also earned his MBA from Embry-Riddle University and completed in-residence coursework at the Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Throughout his career Captain Gordon deployed aboard numerous ships, flying 3,540 mishap-free flight hours in the mighty SH-60B “SeaHawk” helicopter. As a junior officer he completed multiple flying sea duty tours as a member of both the Helicopter Squadron Light Forty Four (HSL-44) Swamp Foxes and the HSL-42 Proud Warriors. Later in his career as a Commander, he had the privilege of leading HSL-42 as both XO and then as their 20^th Commanding Officer and after his promotion to Captain was also honored with becoming both XO and then the 10^th Commanding Officer of USS IWO JIMA (LHD 7).

His shore duty assignments included being a flight instructor, a detailer at the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), Pentagon Staff Member on the Joint Staff, Leadership and Development Director for Naval Air Forces, Administrative Aide to the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Ray Mabus, and Navy Region Southeast Chief of Staff and Operations Director.

He was awarded two Naval Air Flight Medals and two Sikorsky Aviation Rescue pins for his participation in lifesaving aerial flight heroics both at sea and ashore. Earned Instructor Pilot of the Year and Officer of the Year honors and is a two-time peer selected recipient of the Naval Air Forces and Navy and Marine Association Leadership award for outstanding mentorship and leadership. He was also named as one of MBA Magazine’s top 100 Under 50 Executive and Emerging Leaders in the United States.

While leading HSL-42’s 380 Sailors as their Executive and Commanding Officer, his squadron earned the Battle Efficiency award (Battle “E”), as the “Best in Air Wing Award” winner for an unprecedented three straight years and also won the Secretary of the Navy’s Personnel Retention along with the Aviation Safety award as one of the Navy’s Safest operational Aviation Squadrons. As Captain of IWO JIMA, he guided his crew of 3,250 Sailors and Marines through an arduous eight-month deployment where they were instrumental in supporting the peaceful military and civilian evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Yemen. Upon their return from this highly successful deployment, they received the Battle “E” as The Best-in-Class Big Deck Amphibious Assault Aircraft Carrier, in addition to the SECNAV’s Ship Safety and Personnel Retention Awards.

In his final tour of duty as the Region SE Chief of Staff and Operations Director, he led their Crisis Action Team through the preparation, response, and evacuation of five major hurricanes that impacted 263,000 Sailors and families and over 550 aircraft and ships, across 18 installations within the Navy’s Southeastern United States, Central and South American, and Caribbean Areas of Responsibility.

After 29 wonderfully fulfilling and rewarding years in the world’s greatest Navy, Captain Gordon and his wife Rolanda retired in Jacksonville, FL where he then spent five years as the Director of Process Improvement Engineering, Shipping and Packaging Materials at Fanatics, Inc., the global leader in licensed sports merchandise and apparel. While there he led a team of 17 Fanatics Engineers, Data Analysts and Material Coordinators who were responsible for the Engineering, Materials, and Process Improvement of seven facilities located throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.

Since his retirement, he has turned his attention to his passion of Leading, Mentoring, and Developing when he can and through his efforts as an author, has written two books, TEAM (Training, Education and Mentorship)and now his second book LEAD (Leading, Empowering and Developing).

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