About John J. Gobbell
FROM USC TO YANKEE STATION
Upon graduating from the University of Southern California, John was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He served as a deck and ASW officer aboard the USS Tingey (DD 539), a revered Fletcher-class destroyer and battle of Leyte Gulf veteran. He did a WESTPAC cruise and fought the battle of YANKEE STATION forming a protective destroyer screen around the carrier USS Hancock (CVA 19) in the South China Sea.
Professional Career
Most of John's career has been in executive recruiting. He was with KPMG Peat Marwick as a consultant for three years. And then for ten years, he was a Vice President Boyden Associates, Inc., a large New York City based international executive recruiting firm. He then founded THE GOBBELL COMPANY in Newport Beach,
California where he worked on a retained basis with corporate clients to find senior executives. During a concentrated time of developing and presenting candidates for military aerospace clients, John became fascinated with advanced technology, weapon systems, and the executives who build them. Recently he was the Director of Development for the USC Catholic Center, located at the University of Southern California. There, he worked on a $35.0 million capital campaign to build a new Romanesque church and student center on campus. In civilian life, John sails in Southern California yacht racing regattas. In younger days he skippered in the Long Beach Yacht Club's Congressional Cup, one of the most prestigious match-racing regattas featuring skippers from around the world, including America's cup stand-outs. John and his wife, Janine, also a USC graduate, live in Orange County, California.
Gallery
Terry Miller (left), Executive Director of the Tin Can Sailors Association (TCS), presents Lifetime Achievement Award to former destroyerman and Academy Award winner, the late Ernest Borgnine (center), at his home with TCS member John Gobbell (right) looking on.
John Gobbell (left) with Beverly Hills Police Chief, David L. Snowden (center), and Guardians of the Galaxy and The Walking Dead actor, Michael Rooker (right).
Howard Kazanjian (left), executive producer of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi, attends one of John's book signings.
U.S. Naval Institute WEST conference, San Diego, California, February 10-12, 2015. John J. Gobbell, (left) at book signing with two other Naval Institute Press authors; Sam J. Tangredi and Bernard D. Cole.
Lifeguard station: Tingey next in line behind USS Ranger, (CV 61) for refueling.
(photo: John Samuelson).
Catalina 38 Nationals. Rounding the weather mark;
John helming his boat Alliance just as spinnaker is set.
(Photo: Hal Rosenberg).