To Lead Agency In Raising Transportation Security Baseline

David Pekoske was officially sworn Thursday in as the seventh administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Elaine Duke welcomed Administrator Pekoske, who took the oath in a ceremony held at Department of Homeland Security Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Pekoske was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 3, 2017, following his nomination by President Donald J. Trump. He now leads a workforce of approximately 60,000 employees, the security operations at nearly 450 airports throughout the United States, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and shared security for highways, railroads, ports, mass transit systems and pipelines.

“I am deeply honored to take on this role as the next TSA administrator and put my experience to use in protecting and securing our nation’s transportation system,” said Administrator Pekoske. “TSA’s mission is critical to the security of our homeland and the American people. I look forward to continue serving our great nation alongside the dedicated men and women of TSA.”

Pekoske was most recently an executive in the government services industry where he led teams in providing counterterrorism, security and intelligence support services to government agencies. Most notably, he was the Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, an organization protecting more than 100,000 miles of U.S. coastline and inland waterways, and safeguarding an exclusive economic zone encompassing 4.5 million square miles, encompassing nine time zones. There he held many leadership, operational and staff assignments and held command of six Coast Guard operational units during his 33-year career. As the Vice Commandant, Pekoske was second in command, also serving as Chief Operating Officer and Component Acquisition Executive of the U.S. Coast Guard. He is a recognized expert in crisis management and port and maritime security.

(Image provided with TSA news release)

FMI: www.tsa.gov