Ep. #178. Jack Riggins, US Navy SEAL

Jack is a veteran with 20 years of Naval Service leading Navy SEALs and Special Operations Forces throughout the world. A leadership and cultural dynamics expert, Jack has consulted with business leaders across the United States, Pro-athletes, Olympians, and NCAA Teams in his journey. He is the co-founder of Performance Mountain along with Dr Larry Widman. Performance Mountain optimizes people, teams and organizations.

A native of Fremont Nebraska, Jack earned an NROTC scholarship and graduated from The University of Nebraska in 1998. Jack graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School (BUD/S) in Class 222. Jack is also a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and holds a Master’s Degree in Global/International Affairs and Interagency Collaboration from Kansas University.

Jack participated in a number of conflicts and contingency operations throughout the globe in his 20 year Naval career. Assigned to SEAL Team One during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Jack participated in contingency operations as part of the United States initial response from October to December 2001. Later, assigned to SEAL Team Three as a Troop Commander, Jack was the Commander of Naval Special Warfare Task Unit-Ramadi, Iraq in charge of counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations in Al-Anbar Province. Jack was the first SEAL Troop Commander to lead Special Reconnaissance Team-1 focusing on Multidiscipline Intelligence Support Missions for SEAL Team, Special Mission Units, and other government agencies. Jack’s last assignment was as the Director of Combating Terrorism for Special Operations Command Europe.

Jack has also been a volunteer leadership and cultural dynamics advisor to Nebraska Athletics, Creighton Athletics, and Midland University and various business leaders across the region. Jack and Dr. Larry Widman founded Performance Mountain, a consulting firm that optimizes leadership and culture within Teams and Groups.

Jack has been an active advocate of our nations wounded warriors and Veterans, both nationally and regionally. Jack is on the board of the Nebraska Soldiers Foundation and supports the PGA Tours Birdies for Brave program, Nebraska Golf Fore Troops and NS2 Serves. Jack is also active in the SEAL-NSW Family Foundation (NSFF), where in 2010 he started “Nebraska Support for SEALs” (NSS) which provides an annually weekend family retreat for Active Duty SEAL families here in Nebraska and raises funds for the SEAL-NSW Family Foundation (NSFF).

Jack has been married to his college sweetheart Kate for 19 years, and has four children: Jack spends his free time along with his wife chasing their four children, coaching little league sports, hunting birdies on the golf course, and enjoying all things Nebraska.