Ferdinand Jirsa was awarded the Order of the White Lion, the highest order of the Czech Republic, for his contributions to Czechoslovakia and the promotion of its cultural ties to the United States. After graduating from John Marshall School of Law, he began private practice in both law and real estate. In 1946, he joined the Cleveland Law Department where he battled slum landlords over building code violations. He served as assistant police prosecutor and assistant law director for over 20 years. He was active in the Sokol movement, a form of gymnastics that includes components of physical, moral, and intellectual training, once serving as president of the Northeast District of the American Sokol Organization. Inducted 2017.