Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert (Ret.)

ESLC Co-Chair; 30th Chief of Naval Operations, US Navy (RETIRED)

Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1975 and completed studies in nuclear power for service as a submarine officer. His career as a submariner includes assignments aboard USS Flying Fish (SSN 673), USS Tautog (SSN 639), Submarine NR-1 and USS Michigan (SSBN 727 – Gold Crew), culminating in command of USS Honolulu (SSN 718) from March 1991 to July 1993.

Subsequent fleet command assignments include Commander, Submarine Squadron 11; Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas; Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet (August 2004 to September 2006); and, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (September 2007 to July 2009). Greenert has served in various fleet support and financial management positions, including deputy chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources (N8); deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; chief of staff, U.S. 7th Fleet; head, Navy Programming Branch and director, Operations Division Navy Comptroller. Most recently he served as 36th vice chief of naval operations (August 2009 to August 2011).

He is a recipient of various personal and campaign awards including the Distinguished Service Medal (6 awards), Defense Superior Service Medal and Legion of Merit (4 awards). In 1992 he was awarded the Vice Admiral Stockdale Award for inspirational leadership. He considers those awards earned throughout his career associated with unit performance to be most satisfying and representative of naval service. Greenert became the 30th Chief of Naval Operations Sep. 23, 2011.

Admiral Dennis C. Blair (Ret.)

SAFE Chairman and ESLC Member; Director of National Intelligence and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command (Ret.)

Admiral Blair served as Director of National Intelligence from January 2009 to May 2010.  He led sixteen national intelligence agencies, administering a budget of  $50 billion and providing integrated intelligence support to the President, Congress and operations in the field.  Prior to rejoining the government, he held the John M. Shalikashvili Chair in National Security Studies with the National Bureau of Asian Research, served as deputy director of the Project for National Security Reform, and as a member of the Energy Security Leadership Council of Securing America’s Future Energy.

From 2003 to 2006 Admiral Blair was president and chief executive officer of the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), a federally funded research and development center based in Alexandria, Virginia that supports the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and the Intelligence Community.  He has been a director of two public companies, EDO and Tyco International and served on the boards of many non-profit organizations.

Prior to retiring from the Navy in 2002, Admiral Blair served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, the largest of the combatant commands. During his 34-year Navy career, Admiral Blair served on guided missile destroyers in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and commanded the Kitty Hawk Battle Group.  Ashore, he served as Director of the Joint Staff and held budget and policy positions on the National Security Council and several major Navy staffs.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Admiral Blair earned a master’s degree in history and languages from Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, and was a White House fellow at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  He has been awarded four Defense Distinguished Service medals, three National Intelligence Distinguished Service medals and has received decorations from the governments of Japan, Thailand, Korea, Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Peter Flory

Senior Fellow and Director, American Semiconductor Center

A former senior Pentagon official, Peter has advised the Defense Department, U.S. Navy, and private industry on topics ranging from semiconductors — including development of the 2020 CHIPS Act — to management and organization, and strategy toward China.  He previously served as an Assistant Secretary of Defense, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment, and Special Counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and worked in industry as Vice President, International for QinetiQ North America.  Peter holds a J.D. from Georgetown and an Honors B.A. from McGill University.