SPEAKERS

September 29, 2025

Jay Powers is a 26-year Army veteran who retired as a Green Beret colonel in 2022 after a distinguished career leading within the Joint Special Operations community. He brings deep expertise in leadership, planning, and operations developed through decades of experience solving complex international security challenges alongside interagency and coalition partners.

Jay spent the majority of his career with 5th Special Forces Group — a Special Forces’ unit focused on the Middle East—where he led at every level, from a 12-soldier A-Team to commanding the entire 2,500-Soldier Group. He deployed to the region ten times, including nine combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, where he led elite formations through some of the most demanding missions of the post-9/11 era.

Since retiring from active duty, Jay has focused on helping others grow and develop. He teaches leadership for the University of South Florida, coaches business owners as a Scaling Up advisor through his firm, Legion Consulting, and served as Chief Operating Officer for Tampa Bay Wave, a nonprofit tech accelerator. He also serves as the head wrestling coach at Plant High School.