Donald H. Orndoff
Director, Office of Construction & Facilities Management
Mr. Donald H. Orndoff is currently the Director of the Office of Construction & Facilities Management at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He leads a team of engineers, architects, and real estate professionals who proudly serve our Nation's veterans. His team plans, designs, constructs, and leases facilities for the Veterans Health Administration, our nation's largest integrated health care system, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. Replacement plant value of VA facilities exceeds $56 billion, with new construction and major improvements approaching $1 billion project value per year.
In July 1978, Mr. Orndoff was commissioned an Ensign, Civil Engineer Corps, United States Navy. As a junior officer, he was charged with progressively greater leadership responsibilities in construction and facility management at major Navy bases across the country. He proudly served in the Navy Seabees as Company Commander and Detachment Officer in Charge in a Naval Mobile Construction Battalion, where he made construction deployments to Guam and the Philippines in support of Navy Fleet operations.
In December 1997, Mr. Orndoff became the Assistant Chief of Staff for Shore Installation Management on the Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan Staff, with regional responsibilities in shore facilities construction and maintenance, real estate acquisition and disposal, shore installation operations management, environmental compliance, and Navy occupational safety programs.
In May 2001, Mr. Orndoff became Commanding Officer, Public Works Center Yokosuka Japan, Officer in Charge of Construction Far East, and Force Civil Engineer. He led a 1,200 personnel workforce in support of six major Navy installations providing over $500 million facility construction management services annually, in coordination with host countries Japan, South Korea, and British Indian Ocean Territories.
In August 2003, Mr. Orndoff became the Assistant to the Commander for Navy Public Works, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. He developed enterprise processes, resource objectives, and community management support for the Navy's 9,000 member global pubic works team. He led Navy efforts in four major public works product lines, including Utilities and Energy Management, Facility Management, Facility Sustainment, and Facility Services.
In July 2007, Mr. Orndoff retired from active duty after 29 years of service. He was universally recognized as an innovative leader among the Navy civil engineer community. Three times he was awarded the prestigious Legion of Merit for meritorious leadership, service, and accomplishment.
Mr. Orndoff graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech University in 1978. He graduated with Master of Engineering Science degree in Construction Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1983. He also received Executive Business Management training from Dartmouth College in 2000.
Mr. Orndoff is a licensed Registered Architect in Virginia. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Society of American Military Engineers, and Federal Acquisition Professional Community.
Mr. Orndoff and his wife, the former Carolyn June Shelton, have two teenage children, Max (18) and June (14). The Orndoff family resides in Arlington, VA.