The Competitor: Dave Wortman, CCJS/PSYC ’94

Dave Wortman thrives on competition. The most effective way to get him to do something is to tell him that it can’t be done. This inner drive has served Wortman well, compelling him to start a successful business, become a Screen Actors Guild accredited actor, and much more.

After graduating from Maryland in 1994 with a B.A. (double major) in criminology and criminal justice and psychology, Mr. Wortman went on to earn a law degree and to pass the rigorous Virginia Bar Exam. Like many attorneys, he then attended numerous continuing legal education (CLE) courses to enhance his knowledge and to meet requirements set forth by his firm and by the Bar.

Unlike his peers, however, Mr. Wortman did not see this as a tedious experience to avoid—he saw it as a challenge. By nature a curious, observant person, he couldn’t help noticing the flaws in the standard CLE system. Some of his peers were using what should have been a learning experience to read briefs, newspapers or novels; he even saw one participant take out a travel pillow and catch up on sleep.

Mr. Wortman began to think of ways to improve the experience for the attorneys and for the firms who were footing the bill. “I figured if we could put these courses online, it would save the attorneys billable hours and travel time. And maybe—just maybe—if the courses were taken at each attorney’s own pace, done on their own time, they might actually pay attention and get something out of the experience,” Mr. Wortman said.

From a Great Concept to a Great Business

Long before online education became a global trend, Mr. Wortman founded Education Over the Net (EON!) in 1999. He did so by pitching a business plan to a large CE provider in Virginia, who loved the idea of maximizing learning opportunities and minimizing cost and inconvenience for their clientele.

Soon, EON! expanded to offer enhanced educational experiences for chiropractors, physical therapists, real estate agents, social workers, veterinarians and numerous other professionals who require CLE courses to maintain their licenses. The company also works with various clients to design online training tools and assist with virtually any technology need.

“I love a good challenge, and starting a business is definitely a huge task. There were lots of doubters when I told them I was starting a company.  I was told how many businesses never get off the ground, how most businesses fail in the first two or three years, and, of course, how risky it would be to go down that path. But that just provides more motivation,” Mr. Wortman said. “Deep down, it’s another factor that makes you work even harder.”

Mr. Wortman’s advice to current students and to would-be entrepreneurs at any stage of life is to carefully think through each step and detail, from concept to execution.

“If you are an entrepreneur, your mind should be racing with ideas. Get these ideas down ‘on paper’ and map out your plan,” Mr. Wortman said. “What’s the plan, what do you need to implement the plan, what do you need to execute the plan... how are you going to do it?”

In the Spotlight

Though fostering his business and raising his daughter, Olivia, has kept him busy and happy, Mr. Wortman also has spent time turning his interest in acting into something of a secondary career. Once, when discussing his passion for acting and modeling with a then-girlfriend, she questioned what he had done lately, noting that his last foray into the field had been a few years prior.

“In a way, she dared me, and the very next day, I contacted an agent. A few weeks later, the agent hired me for my first modeling job,” Mr. Wortman said.

After a few more modeling projects, a casting director noticed Mr. Wortman’s photo, and he was cast in a movie in a non-speaking role.  “I was excited to be on a movie set, filming something for the first time.  Even though I didn’t have any lines, I enjoyed the experience, and sent the casting director a thank-you note. The casting director contacted me and stated that she had never received a thank you note before.  She gave me more and more work; commercials, movies, and she put me in a couple musicals, as well. The most fun was a musical in Vegas,” Mr. Wortman said.

Now, Mr. Wortman has appeared in more than 30 commercials and movies. His photo has run on billboards and on the covers of national catalogs. For a time, he was the “PayDay candy bar boy”. But acting and modeling usually are background projects.

“The unfortunate thing about starting and running a business is that it takes up most of your time.  Therefore, I don’t act as much as I used to.  However, if the right opportunity presents itself, I jump,” Mr. Wortman said.

He also noted the links between success in acting and in owning a business. “If you are an actor or an entrepreneur, you need thick skin. There could be lots of rejection, and you constantly need to be reinventing yourself and your ideas,” he said.    

Maryland, Then and Now

While he has always been confident and competitive, Mr. Wortman said that his undergraduate experience at Maryland helped him focus his energy and learn invaluable life skills. Like many Terps, Mr. Wortman refers to his time at Maryland as, “The best four years of my life!”

Mr. Wortman said he enjoyed his criminology and his psychology courses, because “the professors were engaging and the content was interesting and meaningful.” He was highly successful, serving as a teaching assistant in a criminal justice course and as a psychology tutor. He also was a judge advocate for the University Student Judiciary. 

“Being able to help others was extremely rewarding,” Mr. Wortman said.

He was also a resident assistant (RA) for three years, in Ellicott and Hagerstown Halls. During his time as an RA, he dealt with some challenging experiences, including helping his residents deal with substance abuse issues and resolving conflicts.

“My experiences at Maryland helped me learn to think on my feet, quickly and logically. I learned how to problem solve, how to adapt,  how to adjust. I learned how to understand people and how to live on my own. I learned how to budget my time. I learned how to work with all kinds of people. I learned that there can be more than one side of the story.  And, I learned that you can get a great education, and still have lots of fun—maybe, sometimes, too much fun. Maryland help give me these opportunities,” Mr. Wortman said.

His experiences at Maryland also led to lifelong friendships. His friend Isa Farhat recalled poker sessions in Hagerstown Hall with Mr. Wortman, and the pranks they pulled on residents on their floor, as well as visiting Mr. Wortman’s parents and watching football at their house in Fairfax.

Liz Marciniak, who earned her Ph.D. in criminology and who started teaching as a grad student at Maryland, supervised Mr. Wortman as a teaching assistant. “He was smart and personable and always so fun to be around and made my job fun. I remember him fondly and am not at all surprised he has so much success professionally,” she said. Ms. Marciniak is now an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg.

A Proud Father

Between business, acting, and keeping up with friends, Mr. Wortman has a busy schedule. But he never fails to put family at the top of his list of priorities.

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1448","attributes":{"alt":"Wortman and Olivia","class":"media-image","height":"445","style":"width: 295px; height: 445px; margin: 5px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; float: left;","width":"295"}}]]Mr. Wortman enjoys sharing his life with his wife and his interests with his daughter. “Even though I have lots of great memories and experiences, I still have to say that filming a commercial with my daughter was the best gig—being able to spend time with her, having fun rehearsing with her, and having fun on set together are amazing.  A parent always wants to see his or her child grow and succeed, and when you get to work together, and see these things, it’s pretty special,” he said.

Olivia (pictured with Mr. Wortman in 2012) also is an athlete, playing volleyball, basketball and baseball. Mr. Wortman has coached her teams for many seasons. “Everyone knew when the name ‘Terrapins’ was available, that it had to be given to me,” he said.

Look for Mr. Wortman and Olivia in the upcoming film Andover, which is about a brilliant genetics professor who attempts, over “and over” again, to clone his wife after her tragic death. Mr. Wortman plays Lester Smite, an insurance agent who deals with the complicated issues that arise from the death and “reappearance” of the wife. Mr. Wortman’s daughter plays Emma, an orphan.

“My daughter has more lines in the film than I do. Because she’s about as competitive as I am, she likes to hold that fact over my head. And I couldn’t be happier! If my daughter is the one to beat me in something, it’s the one time I will be OK with not ‘winning.’”

Published on Fri, Jan 9, 2015 - 11:41AM