EP 100: Jason Torey on SEAL Brotherhood, Tech Leadership, and National Security

This is episode 100! The man sitting across from Ryan Parrott is more than a teammate. He is a leader, a builder, and the one who gave “Birdman” his name after a combat explosion in Iraq.

Jason Torey served 26 years in the SEAL Teams. He now leads QLAD, a cybersecurity company that protects critical infrastructure with confidential computing. He explains how QLAD isolates data while in use, addresses foreign backdoor threats in hardware, and builds trust at the core of national defense.

The conversation goes deep into leadership, transition, responsibility, and resilience. Jason shares what it means to serve with purpose and to lead without needing the spotlight. He also honors his father, a Vietnam veteran whose quiet strength left a lasting mark.

QLAD website: www.qlad.com
Jason Torey on Instagram: https://instagram.com/toreyjason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasontorey
QLAD on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/qlad
QLAD on X: https://x.com/_QLAD_

Chapters:
00:00 — Episode 100 begins
01:30 — The nickname and the IED
06:00 — Iraq, Ramadi, Route Michigan
10:00 — Leaving the Teams
13:00 — The mission behind QLAD
18:00 — What confidential computing protects
26:00 — Foreign threats inside supply chains
32:00 — Leadership in combat and startups
41:00 — Jason’s father and legacy
47:00 — Final reflections on purpose and protection

Connect with Ryan "Birdman" Parrott:
Instagram.com/frogmanfridayshow
Facebook.com/frogmanfridayshow
Threads.com/frogmanfridayshow
x.com/FrogFridayShow

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