Mark J. Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Mark J. Sullivan is the current Director of the United States Secret Service
. Sullivan succeeded W. Ralph Basham
and was sworn in as the 22nd Director of the Secret Service on May 31, 2006.
, Sullivan, is the oldest of six children. He attended Arlington Catholic High School
and received his B.A. in criminal justice
from Saint Anselm College
in 1977. He is married to the former Laurie Bell and has three daughters.
assigned to the Detroit Field Office in 1983. In 1990, Sullivan began working at the Fraud Division in Washington, D.C. One year later, in 1991, Sullivan was assigned to the Presidential Protective Division. From 1997 to 1998 he was the resident agent in charge of the Columbus, Ohio
, office. After being special agent in charge of the Counterfeit Division from 1998 to 1999, he returned to the Presidential Protective Division in 1999.
Sullivan has received numerous awards for superior performance throughout his tenure with the Secret Service and his entire career in federal law enforcement including a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award in 2005.
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
. Sullivan succeeded W. Ralph Basham
W. Ralph Basham
William Ralph Basham, Jr. is the former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He had held the role until February 28, 2009. He previously served as the 21st director of the United States Secret Service on January 27, 2003...
and was sworn in as the 22nd Director of the Secret Service on May 31, 2006.
Early life
Born to Francis and Clare Sullivan in Arlington, MassachusettsArlington, Massachusetts
Arlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, six miles northwest of Boston. The population was 42,844 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Sullivan, is the oldest of six children. He attended Arlington Catholic High School
Arlington Catholic High School
Arlington Catholic High School is a coeducational Catholic high school in Arlington, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Arlington Catholic High School was established in 1960 under the direction of Msgr. Oscar O’Gorman. It was built by the parishioners of St...
and received his B.A. in criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
from Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College is a nationally ranked, private, Benedictine, Catholic liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Founded in 1889 by Abbot Hilary Pfrängle, O.S.B. of Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, at the request of Bishop Denis M. Bradley of Manchester, New Hampshire, the...
in 1977. He is married to the former Laurie Bell and has three daughters.
Career
Sullivan began his Secret Service career as a special agentSpecial agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
assigned to the Detroit Field Office in 1983. In 1990, Sullivan began working at the Fraud Division in Washington, D.C. One year later, in 1991, Sullivan was assigned to the Presidential Protective Division. From 1997 to 1998 he was the resident agent in charge of the Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, office. After being special agent in charge of the Counterfeit Division from 1998 to 1999, he returned to the Presidential Protective Division in 1999.
Sullivan has received numerous awards for superior performance throughout his tenure with the Secret Service and his entire career in federal law enforcement including a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award in 2005.