In November 2019, COL (R) Jim Wank retired as the Vice President of Army Programs for Defense Products Marketing (DPM), a part of Command Holdings Group (CHG).  This completed a 48-year career encompassing active military (28 years) and industry (20 years).  He retired from the U.S. Army in July 1999.

COL (R) Wank was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in March 1971 from the ROTC program at the University of Michigan.

During his 28 years of military service, Jim Wank’s career was split almost evenly between assignments in the Corps of Engineers and the Material Acquisition Management program/Army Acquisition Corps.  He had four key assignments in both career paths.

Jim’s key assignments under the Army Corps of Engineers were:  Platoon Leader/Executive Officer, 562^nd Engineer Company, Fort Richardson, Alaska; Assistant Division Engineer, 7^th Infantry Division/Company Commander, “A” Company, 13^th Engineer Battalion, 7^th Infantry Division, Fort Ord, California; Executive Officer, Special Troops Battalion, 3^rd Support Command, Wiesbaden, Germany; Commander, 169^th Engineer Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Jim’s key acquisition assignments included tours as: Assistant Product Manager, Project Manager, Smoke and Obscurants, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland; Operations Officer, Project Manager, Armored Gun System, Warren, Michigan; Director, Advanced Systems and Concepts, TARDEC, Warren, Michigan; and Project Manager, Heavy Tactical Vehicles (and Tactical Bridging), PEO, Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, Warren, Michigan.

Upon his retirement from the Army, Jim joined Defense Products Marketing (DPM).  DPM employees are predominantly retired government military and civilian acquisition professionals.  DPM’s primary mission was to help our industry clients market their products and services to U.S. military and civilian agencies.  DPM’s focus was on supporting client companies in the areas of: Tactical Wheel Vehicles and associated equipment; engineer construction equipment; fire and rescue equipment; tactical and combat military bridging equipment; and U.S. Army watercraft and support equipment.

DPM had offices in all the locations that the U.S. military combat and material developers were stationed.  One of the primary goals of DPM was to provide the military users equipment that was safer, more efficient, and more effective in the performance of their important work.  Jim provided client companies (and customers) timely and critical advice across the TWV and engineer communities in all aspects of system acquisition.  Based on his background, he was able to provide both a “user” and material developer prospective to the client and customer programs/products.

In 2010, DPM became a part of the Command Holdings Group family of companies.  Jim’s mission in CHG remained much the same until his retirement from CHG in 2019.

COL (R) Wank graduated from the Army War College, Carlisle, PA; the Naval Command and Staff College, Newport, Rhode Island; the Program Management Course at the Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, VA; the Logistics Executive Development Course, Fort Lee, VA; and the Corps of Engineers Basic and Advanced Officers Courses, Fort Belvoir, VA.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Michigan.  His graduate level degrees include:  a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategy for the Naval War College; a Master of Business Administration from the Florida Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Contract and Acquisition Management from the Florida Institute of Technology.

COL (R) Wank’s military awards include the Legion of Merit; the Meritorious Service Medal (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Achievement Medal (with One Oak Leaf Cluster); and the Silver and Bronze De Fleury Medals from the Corps of Engineers.

Jim has previously served as a member of the NDIA Tactical Wheel Vehicle Steering Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Army Engineer Regimental Association.

Jim and his wife, Cathy, celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary in 2021.  Their son, Brian, and his family reside in Dove Canyon, CA.  Their daughter, Meredith, and her family live in Fairlight, NSW, Australia.