Mr. Jim Gruny - Director

Jim currently serves as the Community Liaison Officer for Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego (MCRDSD) and the Western Recruiting Region (WRR). In this capacity he advises and supports the Commanding General and his subordinate commanders in maintaining a strong, positive, and mutually supporting relationship between MCRDSD/WRR and the greater San Diego Community. Jim’s previous civilian position was Chief Operating Officer for Workshops for Warriors (WFW), a 501(c)(3) non profit that provides transitioning service members and veterans advanced manufacturing training, nationally recognized credentials, and assistance with job placement.

Jim is a retired Marine Colonel. His 30 years of service in the Marine Corps as an Armor Officer included two combat tours in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served in multiple Command tours, the last as the Regimental Commander at the Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. His various Staff tours include assignments at the Group, Marine Expeditionary Force, Service Headquarters, and Agency levels, and as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow with Amgen, a Biotech/Pharmaceutical company in Thousand Oaks, CA. His last tour in the Marine Corps was as the Chief of Staff for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit with three gold stars, Bronze Star with Valor, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, Navy Commendation Medal with Valor and two gold stars, and Combat Action Ribbon with gold star.

Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Science Degree in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.