Michael J. Heimbach Named Assistant Director of Counterterrorism Division

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III selected Michael J. Heimbach to serve as Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division. Mr. Heimbach most recently served as Associate Director of National Intelligence detailed to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Mr. Heimbach entered on duty as a special agent with the FBI in 1988. Upon completion of training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, he was assigned to the New Orleans Division, where he focused on criminal investigations. In 1996, he was appointed Supervisory Special Agent of the New Orleans Special Operations Group, with oversight for all technical ground and aviation surveillance operations. He was appointed supervisor of the New Orleans Gang Task Force in 1997. In 2000, Mr. Heimbach was awarded the Director’s Award for Excellence in Management, one of the highest honors bestowed upon an FBI agent.

In August 2000, Mr. Heimbach was appointed Unit Chief of the Crimes Against Children Unit in the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters, with responsibility for coordinating the FBI’s Innocent Images National Initiative. He was designated Assistant Section Chief of the Violent Crimes and Major Offenders Section in October 2002. In January 2003, he was appointed Assistant Section Chief of the International Terrorism Operations Section in the Counterterrorism Division. While there, he oversaw all FBI domestic and international terrorism investigations related to al Qaeda and other extremist organizations. He was awarded the 2004 Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service for his involvement in the major disruption of an international terrorist network.

In March 2004, Mr. Heimbach was designated Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division, with management responsibility of the FBI's largest counterintelligence program. He returned to the Counterterrorism Division’s International Terrorism Operations Section in March 2005 as Section Chief. During that time, he became one of the first FBI certified Intelligence Officers.

In January 2007, Mr. Heimbach returned to the Washington Field Office as Special Agent in Charge for Counterterrorism, responsible for oversight of all domestic and international terrorism investigations in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. In October 2007, he was named Associate Director of National Intelligence detailed to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He served as a senior advisor responsible for providing advice and assistance on intelligence community initiatives.

Mr. Heimbach was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he was recently honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award. He also received an Associate Degree in Police Administration from the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to his appointment with the FBI, he served in the United States Army from 1976 to 1979 as a Military Policeman. Mr. Heimbach also worked as a Police/K-9 Officer for eight-and-a-half years in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.