Meet the Instructor

For over three decades, Jon Wester served the U.S. Department of the Navy, retiring as Contracts Branch Head at the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command in San Diego, California. From 2014 to 2025, he managed a team handling over $500 million in annual contract awards for defense systems and engineering services, overseeing all contract stages from planning to close-out. Prior to this, he worked over 20 years as a contracting officer and contract specialist across several Navy commands, including overseas roles in Yokosuka, Japan, and Naples, Italy, supporting logistics contracting for Navy facilities and deployed assets.

Mr. Wester also taught Cost and Price Analysis at the Defense Acquisition University and led annual contracting training for Navy financial specialists. He implemented a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process for a Navy intelligence hub data system and served as lead contract negotiator for Taiwan’s $1 billion Po Sheng acquisition. With an MBA from Florida Institute of Technology and a BA in Linguistics (summa cum laude) from the University of California - San Diego, he received the 2006 Navy Acquisition and Competition Excellence Award and a Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 2022.