Ed Merkle
Director of Port Security and Emergency Operations
Virginia Port Authority
Commonwealth of Virginia

Ed Merkle, as the Director of Port Security and Emergency Operations, is the senior most security professional within the Virginia Port Authority and administers the Virginia Port Authority Police Department, comprising 80 sworn police officers.  He is accountable for the comprehensive Port Security Plan that includes all port properties and ensures port tenants comply with all federal, state and local security laws and regulations.  He serves as an executive member of the Area Maritime Security Committee and administers the federal security grants.  Additionally, he leads the Port Emergency Management and Response Program.  He was appointed by the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security and serves on the National Maritime Advisory Committee.

Ed Merkle is a retired Coast Guard Captain having completed over twenty-five years of active military service.  He is a 1979 graduate of the U. S Coast Guard Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.  Additionally, he holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree from The George Washington University.

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