Jim Zortman, sector vice president, Life Cycle Logistics and Support at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems headquartered in El Segundo, California, and site manager for Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned Systems Development Center in San Diego, has been elected to the board of trustees of United Through Reading, a San Diego-based national nonprofit that helps separated families connect through reading storybooks to their children while being video-recorded.
In January 2008, following his retirement from the U.S. Navy, where he attained the rank of Vice Admiral, Zortman joined Northrop Grumman to lead the logistics and product support functions at Aerospace Systems Sector.
Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Zortman served as Commander Naval Air Forces and CEO, Naval Aviation Enterprise. In this role, he led a combined team of more than 180,000 military, government, civilian, and contractor personnel responsible for operations, readiness, and full life-cycle management of 3,800 aircraft and 12 aircraft carriers. “VADM Zortman’s extensive and distinguished career in the Navy makes him well aware of the need for emotional bonding between deployed service members and their children,” said Sally Ann Zoll, Ed. D., chief executive of United Through Reading. “His insight and experience will help drive our military program to new levels of success.”
His prior assignments include Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet; Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet; Commander, Task Force Fifty; Commander, John C. Stennis Battle Group; Director, Operations and Politico-Military Affairs for the Chief of Naval Operations, and Executive Officer to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has earned the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (4), and the Bronze Star awarded for Operation Enduring Freedom.
Zortman earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and completed a one-year, in-residence fellowship in Strategic Studies at the Naval War College, Newport, RI. In addition, he has completed courses of study in executive, business, and strategic planning at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, and the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School at Chapel Hill, respectively.
Zortman and his wife Kathie live in Coronado, CA.
Founded in 1989, United Through Reading helps reduce the fear, anxiety and uncertainty felt by children separated from their parents because of military deployment, incarceration, or in grandparents’ cases, living in different regions of the country. It was the nation’s first nonprofit to promote the read-aloud experience for separated families. Research shows that being read aloud to is a way for children to experience the joy of reading and gain critical learning and communications skills. More than one million parents, spouses and children have benefited from the nationally acclaimed United Through Reading programs. For more information, visit www.unitedthroughreading.org or call (858) 481-7323.
