John Zorich – Vet Story

Cognosante’s Director of Quality Assurance, John P. Zorich served in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) for seven years as a missile technician ordnanceman, an invaluable experience that has benefited him throughout his career. While he no longer serves today, Zorich continues to lend his support to the military through volunteering, attending and donating to charity events, and participating in support groups. Zorich has been able to take the necessary skills learned during his time with the USMC and apply them to other situations throughout his life, including his career at Cognosante.

Zorich came to work for Cognosante in October 2016 through a business acquisition. In less than one year, Zorich went from being a one-man quality team to leading a 30+ member department in charge of Cognosante’s quality assurance and quality management system efforts. Zorich attributes his success to his military experience where he learned about the chain of command, how to rely on others and work as a team, and most importantly, respect.

During his last year with the USMC, Zorich worked as an instructor. “I learned the skills needed to be a good teacher and public speaker… Until that last year as an instructor in the USMC, I wasn’t very comfortable with public speaking, but now I embrace it and look forward to every opportunity.” Zorich’s public speaking skills ultimately set the foundation for him to take on greater roles throughout his career and continue that trajectory at Cognosante.

The leadership traits and public speaking skills that Zorich gained from his USMC service are tested daily as he manages a team of both remote and in-house staff across multiple states. Leading remote staff presents a unique set of challenges that Zorich has eagerly embraced. “The technology we have makes it as though everyone is just down the hallway or on another floor,” he says. Zorich’s team works together to ensure Cognosante is consistently meeting quality-related contractual requirements and obligations, and upholding quality standards and best practices. “I love working at Cognosante,” says Zorich. “Cognosante values the individual and creates a welcoming work environment.” Since onboarding, Zorich has led Cognosante’s International Organization of Standardization 9001:2015 efforts—successfully maintaining certification for one of our contact centers and, with the help of his team, earning the first-time certification for two more locations within his first year with the company.

Zorich has a strong appreciation for Cognosante’s dedication to supporting Veterans. For example, Cognosante is an advocate for Final Salute, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing safe, suitable housing for homeless women Veterans—an organization close to Zorich’s heart as he once served on their board of directors. “There is a lot of camaraderie when the company supports these types of organizations… whether it is an afternoon golf tournament raising $25,000 [benefiting Final Salute], building houses, or packing lunches for the homeless, it just warms your heart…” It’s this attitude of giving back that helps Zorich and other Veterans employed with Cognosante continue to serve their country and support their fellow service members. Zorich concludes, “When you enjoy your job, when you really love it and love the people, great things happen!”