Joe Jiorle’s journey from a kid in the elementary school band to the global head of asset operations at Tait Towers and sound engineer for children’s musician Laurie Berkner speaks the truth to the value of alumni relations. From his high school band director to one of his first employers to his coworker at Tait Towers, LVC alums played key roles throughout Jiorle’s life. But even more than these connections, the success and opportunities that Jiorle speaks of show roots in his love for music and entertainment.

“I honestly never imagined I’d be as successful as I’ve been and have so many interesting opportunities,” said Jiorle, who graduated from LVC in 2002. “I’ve been able to travel internationally, see the entire U.S., and hang out with some wonderful people, all while seeing some really killer shows.”

Jiorle’s interest in music began at a young age. Despite not growing up in a musical family, his parents supported his participation in band programs throughout elementary school and a pivotal experience in the high school marching band. During high school, Jiorle also discovered a newfound interest in another aspect of music—live entertainment.

“I was playing in a band with some high school friends, and we started to promote our shows,” he said. “I started to learn about how sound systems worked, and we’d do our best to cobble together whatever we could scrounge up to make these shows happen.”

As he continued to develop his love for music during high school, Jiorle took to his band director Michael McCauley ’76. Jiorle notes that McCauley became instrumental in his musical development and was a key influencer in his decision to pursue music and entertainment at LVC.

Jiorle spent the next four years at The Valley studying music recording technology, now known as audio & music production.

“The most important thing I learned at LVC was how to be employable,” he said. “While I learned about music and the technology in the music industry, that really served as a platform to learn how to meet a deadline, work alongside others, and develop a vision. The second part is learning how to learn, which is difficult, and I’m certainly still figuring that out today. I believe that this is massively important to stay relevant in any field.”

After graduation, Jiorle spent his first five years out of school freelancing for concerts and special events, even spending a few months touring with a rock band in clubs across the country.

“Entertainment, in general, is a casual environment that welcomes everyone, including some of the most interesting, creative, and unique people you’ll ever meet,” said Jiorle. “Live events offer instant gratification. A concert often happens all in one day. At the end of the day you really feel like you’ve accomplished something.”

Through his freelance work, he connected with Chris Anderson ’95 of Anderson Audio and became their first employee. Alongside Anderson, he learned about audio engineering, working with clients, and helping launch the company’s internship program that continues to accept LVC students.

Now in a role at Tait Towers, where he manages the logistics and warehousing of rental inventory across a global network of warehouses, Jiorle has shifted his focus to the world of set design, staging, and automation. Despite the change, his career still sings of his love for music, and the breadth of LVC alumni continues to reign true in Jiorle’s journey. He even found an ally at Tait Towers in Phil Mitchell ’10, a senior project manager.

While the Covid-19 outbreak may have put a halt to live, in-person entertainment events, Jiorle remains optimistic.

“The key for me is weathering the storm and focusing my energy on fixing problems and systems today to come out of this in the best position possible. I’ve been fortunate that I’m able to take time now to work toward a better tomorrow.”

 

— Darby Seymour, Marketing & Communications Student Assistant