Naval officer returns to Schwab and gets standing ovations

In recognition of serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Doug Beck received standing ovations from fellow executives of The Charles Schwab Corp.

Mr. Beck, an intelligence officer, was gone from his position as senior vice president of strategy for Schwab Institutional in San Francisco for 15 months.

He returned on Jan. 4, and he received the ovations during company meetings held Jan. 8 and 9.

Although the recognition from colleagues was gratifying, a nod from the big boss, chairman Charles R. Schwab, was a special moment, Mr. Beck said.

“Chuck actually came to my office unannounced and stepped in to talk a while,” he said.

Mr. Beck, who has year-old twins, is the highest-ranking executive at Schwab to serve in combat, though there were 28 Schwab employees on military leave last year, according to the company.

He is prohibited from describing his military responsibilities, except to say that he served on a special operations task force.

“It’s been phenomenal and humbling” to have served on active duty for the Navy, Mr. Beck said.

Meanwhile, he has mixed feelings about rejoining civilian life.

“As fantastic as it is to be back, it is very difficult to leave both the mission and, even more, the people I was working with over there,” Mr. Beck said.

Now a reservist, he continues to advise Navy officers at a senior level on strategic matters.

But his days of serving abroad may not be over. “It’s always a possibility,” Mr. Beck said.