Rear Admiral Norman T. Saunders, United States Coast Guard) (Retired) joined the Kingfisher Board of Advisors in 2012. He is a veteran of 35 years of Coast Guard service. In addition to serving on Kingfisher’s Board of Advisors, Admiral Saunders consults on homeland security, homeland defense, border security, port and maritime security and maritime domain awareness. Prior to taking on this independent work, he was Vice President for Corporate Development with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), with responsibilities for a number of Homeland Defense/Homeland Security programs, to include Maritime and Port Security matters, U.S. Coast Guard programs, projects, and a range of supporting technology efforts. He served on an Independent Strategic Assessment Group to Commander, Northern Command where they provided advice on organization, policy, intelligence, maritime domain awareness, and reserve forces. Prior to joining SAIC in May, 2002, Norm served as Vice President in the strategic defense consulting firm Technology Strategies & Alliances of Burke, Virginia.
Before retiring from active service in June 1999, Admiral Saunders served as Commander, 7th Coast Guard District, where he exercised direct responsibility for the full spectrum of Coast Guard activities in the Southeast U.S. and the Caribbean, to include lifesaving, law enforcement, maritime security, and environmental missions. Previously, Admiral Saunders served as Assistant Commandant for Operations for the U.S. Coast Guard, where he was responsible for direct oversight of policy development and facilities management for Coast Guard operating programs. In this role, he was the Senior Coast Guard Military Intelligence Officer, representing the organization on the Military Intelligence Board. During this tour, he served as Department of Transportation to the National Security Council for interagency coordination of the migrant crises in 1994 and the shoot down of civil aircraft in 1996. As the first Commander of the Coast Guard’s new Military Personnel Command, Admiral Saunders oversaw strategic and business planning related to cradle-to-grave services for the military workforce. Prior to his service at Headquarters, U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Saunders served as Commander, Second Coast Guard District, responsible for directing all Coast Guard operations in the Western Rivers serving 23 states. Among other accomplishments, he initiated significant industry partnerships that became a model for nationwide cooperation. Prior to these postings, he served in a variety of sea and shore assignments, including senior level staff assignments and eight years in command, afloat and ashore. He is a Viet Nam veteran.
Admiral Saunders has a Master of Science in Operations Research from the Naval Post Graduate School, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the U. S. Coast Guard Academy, and is a graduate of the National War College.
Admiral Saunders and his wife, Chris, live in Northern Virginia. They have two adult children.
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