Captain Joseph (Joe) Polanin, U.S. Navy (retired)

  • Valedictorian of Carteret High School class of 1986.

  • First student in the school’s history to be appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD.

  • Earned a BS in History, with a minor in Russian language, in 1990.

  • Honor graduate of Navy Class 94-30 Basic Diving Officer in 1994.

  • Earned an MBA with highest honors in 2007 from Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ.

  • Earned an MA in Strategic Security Studies as the Distinguished Graduate (#1 of 76) of the 2014 Combating Terrorism Fellowship at the College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University, Washington, DC.

  • Wrote “Defeating Violent Radical Islamism,” a precis of his MA thesis, published in U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, October 2016.

  • Authored the e-journals "11 Rules of Leadership," "The Principles of Winning Operations," and "The Leader’s Triad: Responsibility, Accountability, Authority" in 2023, distilled from 30+ years of best practices and lessons learned leading through crises and complex operational environments.

  • Graduate of the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.

  • Graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA.

Personal honors include:

  • Defense Superior Service Medal (three awards)

  • Legion of Merit

  • Bronze Star

  • Combat Action Ribbon (two awards)

  • Various unit & campaign awards

  • Delta Mu Delta Honor Society for business leaders

  • Department of State commendation for transformational diplomacy.

Joe’s Journey To Mastering Growth

Joe Polanin is the COO and Partner of The Barr Business School where we raise the bar for entrepreneurs. He has served and lived in over 75 countries, and was competitively promoted to the top 1% of senior leaders during a 30-year U.S. Navy career in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). Joe has 24+ years as a successful CEO and COO inspiring highly specialized, globally integrated organizations to exceed expectations, accomplish complex missions, and succeed in high-risk environments despite every obstacle.

Global Leadership and Enterprise Management

  • CEO Leadership: The largest enterprise for which Joe had ultimate responsibility as CEO comprised 3,900+ people across three continents, 72 countries, 19 business units, and an $847M annual P&L.

  • EVP for Global Operations: Managed a portfolio of 412K+ people and a $518B annual P&L.

  • Enterprise Transformations: Led several successful global enterpriseand cultural reorganizations, including the largest transformation involving 123K+ people and $79.8B in fiscal value.

  • Professional Education: Completed advanced leader development professional education valued at over $3M.

Unmatched Change Leadership (2003-2007)

Joe demonstrated unparalleled leadership that earned him recognition from senior Generals and Admirals (CEOs/COOs) at five global corporate headquarters. He designed and implemented structural, organizational, and cultural transformations that increased effectiveness, improved morale, and saved over $300M while delivering X-factor results.

Leadership in Combat (2007-2016)

Between 2007 and 2016, Joe served as a calm, resilient, and compassionate Commander (CEO) of an elite U.S. Navy EOD Mobile Unit, Counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Task Force, Major Expeditionary Combat Task Force, and Deputy Commander (CEO) of a Special Operations Regional Enterprise, he led over 1,000 successful combat and counter-insurgency operations across the Middle East and Africa. Scores of Warriors and units under his Command were decorated for valor and meritorious service in combat.

Inspiring Leadership

Despite facing tremendous adversity and often inheriting units with low morale, poor performance, and unethical behavior, Joe quickly resolved these issues and inspired loyalty and admiration. During his 10+ years in Command/CEO roles, he reached the pinnacle of Navy leadership, an achievement attained by less than 4% of Officers. Joe's dedication to those he serves is evident, as he deeply cares about the people who are the heart and soul of every profession.

Advising the President and Senior Leaders (2016)

In 2016, Joe was selected from the military’s elite top 1% to advise the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and top U.S. military and diplomatic leaders. His role within the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, Transportation, and Homeland Security encompassed global operations for the Indo Pacific region, overseeing 412K+ people and a $518B annual P&L. Joe led over 300 senior executives in developing and implementing strategic military responses for the President during heightened provocations by North Korea. His efforts significantly reduced hostilities, improved compliance with international law, and opened the door for historic diplomacy. He was hand-picked to represent the military at the National Security Council, managing a 400%+ increase in operational tempo to enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions for North Korea.

Founding The Alaka’i Leadership Group, LLC (2020)

After transitioning from the Navy in 2020, Joe and his daughters founded The Alaka’i Leadership Group, LLC, a unique Strategic Accelerator. This organization delivers extraordinary senior executive consulting and fractional C-suite leadership alongside inspirational speaking through a proprietary methodology that seamlessly integrates best practices and lessons learned from the battlefield to the boardroom. Joe serves as a senior strategist and mentor for several Veteran service organizations, an advisory board member for two stealth technology startups, COO of a social entrepreneurship ecosystem, and a member of the Alliance of Mergers and Acquisitions Advisors (AM&AA) Tampa chapter.

Recognitions and Publications

Joe was recognized as the Top Executive Global Strategy Leader of the Year 2023 by the International Association of Top Professionals and named the 2023 Florida Entrepreneur, Business Owner, and Professional by Who’s Who in America. He co-authored the Amazon #1 bestseller, Unleashing Firepower: Masters of Business Excellence, and is currently working on two new manuscripts with publication expected in 2025.

Strategic Consulting Practice

By leveraging his vast experiences with 220+ client relationships and expertise in 26+ sectors, Joe has focused his consulting practice on three interdependent pillars of excellence:

  • Developing and Implementing a Bold Corporate Vision: Crafting a clear and ambitious vision that guides organizational direction.

  • Enacting Comprehensive Strategies: Deploying all organizational capabilities to achieve the shared vision through detailed and effective strategies.

  • Mobilizing and Inspiring Talented People: Encouraging teams to exceed expectations, live the vision, and accomplish strategic and operational milestones early and under budget.

Joe and his daughters support rapidly growing and successful companies in eight industries. These companies are raising over $72M and have collective earnings projected at $5.2B over the next four years.