Willie T. Hulon Named Executive Assistant Director for the National Security Branch

Washington D.C. – Director Robert S. Mueller, III, is pleased to announce the appointment of Willie T. Hulon as head of the FBI’s National Security Branch (NSB). Mr. Hulon currently serves as Assistant Director (AD) for Counterterrorism.

In his new position, Mr. Hulon will oversee the FBI’s counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and intelligence programs and will be responsible for integrating the FBI’s national security investigative and intelligence missions and for the continued development of a specialized national security workforce. Mr. Hulon will be the lead FBI official responsible for coordination and liaison with the Director of National Intelligence and the larger Intelligence Community.

Director Mueller said, “Willie has been heavily involved in the implementation of the NSB and related policies, from intelligence gathering and analysis, to management of complex cases, to workforce issues, to working with law enforcement partners. His role in shaping our vision for the NSB, along with his knowledge, experience, and leadership abilities, will help us fully realize the organizational changes we have been working toward since creating the NSB last year. The Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence share my confidence in Willie’s leadership abilities and have concurred with his appointment.”

Mr. Hulon brings a range of law enforcement, intelligence, and national security experience to his new position. He served as a Police Officer in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1980 until he joined the FBI in 1983. He served in the Criminal Investigative and Inspection Divisions at FBI Headquarters, and in the Mobile, Chicago, and San Antonio Divisions. He also served as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the St. Louis Division and Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division.

While serving as SAC in Detroit, Mr. Hulon oversaw one of the busiest counterterrorism programs in the nation and was personally involved in the management of several major cases, including investigations into Hizbollah fundraising.

He served as a Deputy Assistant Director in the Counterterrorism Division (CTD) from April 2004 until November 2004 when he began serving as Assistant Director. As an executive of CTD, Mr. Hulon managed the FBI’s national, and in some cases international, response to significant events. He managed the investigation and response to threats to financial institutions in several states, coordinated with international partners in response to the London transit bombings, oversaw the FBI’s role in security for the Olympics, and led efforts to disrupt plots by terrorists to attack Jewish and military targets in Los Angeles and a recent plot to attack U.S. oil refineries. In all of these efforts, Mr. Hulon worked closely with law enforcement and intelligence community partners, bringing to bear his experience as a police office and investigator and his skill in managing large-scale intelligence-driven investigations.