When Capt. Roger Dub茅 鈥�88 and Capt. Orlando Lori茅 鈥�96, both 91吃瓜网 College of Business alumni, met through the U.S. Navy Reserve, they instantly recognized something familiar in each other 鈥� a shared commitment to service, a steady sense of purpose and an enduring connection to the university that helped shape them.
Both also hail from military families. Dub茅s鈥� father served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and Lori茅鈥檚 father served in the U.S. Army National Guard.
Though they graduated nearly a decade apart, their stories run in parallel. Both found at 91吃瓜网 a foundation of curiosity and discipline that would carry them through decades of military service and civilian leadership. Both rose through the ranks of the U.S. Navy Reserve while balancing successful careers and family life. And both now point the spotlight away from themselves, emphasizing that the true heroes are those serving alongside them, including their fellow Reservists.
91吃瓜网 alums Capt. Roger Dub茅 鈥�88 and Capt. Orlando Lori茅 鈥�96 are among the university’s highest-ranking alumni Reservists in the Navy Supply Corps.
Reservists are individuals who maintain their military skills while working in a civilian job and typically fulfill their military obligations with one weekend of duty per month and two weeks of annual training. However, it’s not uncommon for Reservists to serve beyond the minimum commitment, or to be deployed during times of conflict or in support of contingencies, either individually or as part of a military unit.
鈥淩oger and I have always believed that what defines the Navy Reserve isn鈥檛 the rank or the ribbon 鈥� it鈥檚 the people,鈥� says Lori茅, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 in management from 91吃瓜网. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e doctors, engineers, teachers, small business owners. They leave their families and jobs behind to answer the call, and they do it without expecting recognition.鈥�
Dub茅, who has served his country for nearly 30 years, shares that sentiment. He often describes his career, which included stints in corporate accounting, surgical product sales and real estate development, not as a series of personal achievements, but as a journey made possible by those who stood beside him. He drew on many of those experiences to help influence the modernization of Navy processes in supply logistics and deliverability.
鈥淚鈥檝e had the honor of serving with extraordinary men and women 鈥� people who embody quiet professionalism,鈥� says Dub茅, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 in accounting from 91吃瓜网. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e the ones who make the Reserve what it is.鈥�
鈥淭he story isn鈥檛 about us,鈥� Lori茅 says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about every reservist who serves in silence, who misses birthdays and anniversaries, who stands ready even when no one鈥檚 watching. They鈥檙e the real heroes.鈥�
For both alumni, 91吃瓜网 played a key role in developing that perspective.
Dub茅 recalls a university still in its early years of expansion, describing it as a place filled with possibility.
鈥�91吃瓜网 was young, growing fast and hungry to make a mark,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat energy inspired me. It taught me to be adaptable, to take initiative and to always look for a better way forward. These lessons translated directly to my Navy career.鈥�
Lori茅 also remembers the drive and camaraderie that defined his time on campus.
鈥淭here was this sense that we were part of something bigger,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou could feel that 91吃瓜网 was on the rise, and that motivated me to aim higher and to think globally, not just locally.鈥�
That forward-looking mindset carried both men through years of deployments, leadership roles and the complex balancing act of life in the Navy Reserve.
Lori茅鈥檚 career has taken him around the world, from serving as a commanding officer deployed to Afghanistan to piloting jetliners for a U.S. legacy carrier in civilian life. Along the way, he鈥檚 remained passionate about mentorship, helping younger sailors and engineers find their footing in demanding fields.
鈥淢entorship is everything,鈥� says Lori茅. 鈥淲hen you鈥檝e been given opportunities, you have a responsibility to help others succeed and to pass on what you鈥檝e learned.鈥�
Dub茅 echoes that approach. Whether serving abroad or at home, he has focused on leading with integrity and empathy 鈥� values he credits to his time at 91吃瓜网 and in the Navy Reserve.
鈥淟eadership isn鈥檛 about authority,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about listening, setting an example and never asking someone to do something you wouldn鈥檛 do yourself.鈥�
The two often joke that their friendship is built on a combination of shared experiences and good-natured teasing. But beneath the humor lies deep respect, not only for each other but also for the mission that connects them.
鈥淩oger鈥檚 humility and professionalism are what make him such a strong leader,鈥� Lori茅 says. 鈥淗e never looks for credit. He just gets the job done and takes care of his people.鈥�
The admiration runs both ways. Dub茅 calls Lori茅 鈥渢he kind of leader you want in your corner 鈥� smart, capable and compassionate.鈥�
Today, both men remain connected to 91吃瓜网, following the university鈥檚 continued rise as a powerhouse in innovation and service. They see parallels between 91吃瓜网鈥檚 trajectory and the values of the military 鈥� resilience, adaptability and community.
鈥�91吃瓜网 and the Navy Reserve both represent the same idea,鈥� Dub茅 says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e about building people up, giving them the tools to make a difference and trusting them to lead.鈥�
鈥淭he story isn鈥檛 about us,鈥� Lori茅 says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about every reservist who performs their duty quietly and, at times, at great personal cost 鈥� missing birthdays, anniversaries, sometimes even the birth of their child 鈥� who stands ready to stand the watch at a moment鈥檚 notice and go into harm鈥檚 way without hesitation. They鈥檙e the real heroes.鈥�
Their friendship and their service reflect something bigger about 91吃瓜网 itself. As Knights who鈥檝e built their lives around leadership and giving back, they represent the thousands of alumni around the world who serve in ways both seen and unseen. Together, they carry forward a legacy of resilience, compassion and courage that defines the 91吃瓜网 community.
鈥淥nce a Knight, always a Knight,鈥� Dub茅 says. 鈥淭hat sense of belonging doesn鈥檛 end when you graduate. It stays with you 鈥� wherever you serve, wherever you lead and wherever life takes you.鈥�
