Joe Frederick | Career Readiness Instructor: Central – Virtual
At heart, I’m a husband, father, and very proud grandfather who thinks “Gramps” is the best title I’ve ever earned. Outside of family, my great loves are music, UFC, learning, and philosophy. I’ve been playing guitar for more than 30 years—I can channel my inner rock guitarist, though these days I’m comically trying to reinvent myself as a jazz fusion player. Some nights I hit more bad notes than good, but as Miles Davis said, “It’s not about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating, they have to be about change.” That spirit of resilience and adaptation has shaped my life, from the Navy to business.
I grew up in Barrington, Illinois, and after graduating from Southern Illinois University in 1997, I chose a path that defined me for two decades: the U.S. Navy. Commissioned in 2001 and designated as a Naval Flight Officer in 2003, I flew the P-3C Orion across the globe. My career included missions in the Philippines supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, a 433-day Individual Augmentation in Afghanistan with over 100 combat missions, and three tours aboard USS Carl Vinson as a Catapult Officer (“Shooter”) launching jets from the flight deck. In moments of uncertainty, I leaned on Sun Tzu: “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” Strategy, I learned, is as much about judgment as action.
Over the years, I led at multiple levels—integrating with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, serving as Chief Operations Officer for Task Force 57 in Bahrain, and teaching at the Naval War College after earning a Master of Arts in National Security & Strategic Studies. The medals and ribbons matter less than the privilege of leading sailors and aviators who made every mission possible.
After retiring, I found a new mission in the pharmaceutical industry, blending leadership and education into meaningful work. Today, I’m a sales leader focused on rare diseases and specialty therapies, including ATTR-CM, pulmonary arterial hypertension, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. My approach is grounded in Marcus Aurelius’ reminder: “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Clarity of thought and empathy guide every conversation with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
Through it all, my wife Tonya and our three children—Jordan, Jillyan, and Joey—have been my anchor. Watching them grow and now watching our family expand with sons-in-law and grandson, has been life’s greatest reward.
So that’s me: part Navy, part sales leader, part rock guitarist fumbling joyfully into jazz fusion, and fully committed to a life of service. Leadership, like jazz, is equal parts preparation and improvisation—sometimes the notes are clean, sometimes not, but the music is made in motion. And through it all, I hold onto Seneca’s wisdom: “Each day, acquire something that will fortify you against poverty, against death, indeed against misfortunes, as well.” For me, that “something” has always been knowledge, growth, and the people I serve alongside.