The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) has announced the appointment of a new Executive Director, Supervisory Special Agent Jerry J. Tavares. SSA Tavares served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan, the Philippines, and Egypt. He is fluent in Spanish, Lao, and Northern Thai, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Columbus State University.

SSA Tavares previously held the position of DSS Division Director for Physical Security, where he was responsible for protecting more than 25,000 facilities and diplomatic sites across more than 170 countries. He promoted the modernization of the Department’s risk management system and implemented amendments to the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act.

Furthermore, SSA Tavares served as Deputy Regional Security Officer (RSO) at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq; RSO at the U.S. Embassy in Manama, Bahrain; and RSO at the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane, Laos. He also worked as Assistant RSO at U.S. Embassies in Iraq, Colombia, and Afghanistan.

In 2004, SSA Tavares began his career as a Special Agent in the DSS Miami Field Office. Later, he served as Agent in Charge with Dignitary Protection. SSA Tavares also worked as Branch Chief, Worldwide Protective Services, overseeing the solicitation, acquisition, and management of a $1.3-billion Task Order, offering security services for five U.S. State Department compounds in Kabul, Afghanistan.

https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/101061-jerry-j-tavares-appointed-as-osac-executive-director