Joe Ward is the Founder, President and CEO of Ward Management Group. His firm provides keynote speaking, executive training and coaching and management consulting services. As a professionally certified speaker, teacher, trainer, and coach, Joe helps individuals and businesses achieve their goals while wowing audiences with a special blend of humor, raw candor, and wit. The first in his family to attend college, Mr. Ward brings a unique perspective having had successful careers as a military officer, senior executive in both the private sector and federal government, independent business owner and survivor of the 9-11 attack on the Pentagon. His presentations will make you laugh, cry, and think. They will also inspire you!
Joe is a veteran of OPERATION RESTORE HOPE and a retired USAF officer. He continued to serve as an officer with two different global management consulting and audit firms, and as a civil servant retiring as a member of the federal government Senior Executive Service. He specialized in helping federal clients with shared services, governance, strategy and enterprise risk management. Mr. Ward led the National Business Center (NBC), one of the largest federal shared service centers, to new heights. Under his leadership, the NBC won awards for Excellence in Culture Creation; Customer Service; and People & Communications from the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON). The SSON is a global network of both public and private shared services professionals to include numerous Fortune 500 companies.
Joe’s bold vision is widely recognized for bringing attention to overdue changes in federal shared services governance and helping shape the establishment of the Uniformed Shared Services Management Office.
Mr. Ward is the recipient of numerous awards to include selection as one of the top accounting and finance officers in the DoD (American Society of Military Comptrollers Meritorious Service Award); top writer and speaker at the premiere DoD financial management school (Professional Military Comptroller School) and recognition as author of the year from the Air Force Comptroller magazine - based on his experience as a deployed disbursing agent during OPERATION RESTORE HOPE. His article became the playbook for future deployments.
Joe is an Executive Fellow with the KPMG Government Institute and past treasurer, African American Federal Executive Association. He is also a Certified Defense Financial Manager, Certified Government Financial Manager, and Certified Change Management Practitioner.