Prior to his appointment by President Bush, Mr. Fort worked for Goldman Sachs, a global investment bank, from 1996-2006 in several capacities, including as Director of Global Security, where he managed all physical and personnel security measures, and also as chief of staff to the President and co-Chief Operating Officer of the firm. From 1993-96, Mr. Fort was employed by TRW, Inc. as Director of Special Projects in two of the corporation’s Space and Defense operating groups.

Mr. Fort’s private sector experience was preceded by 11 years of service in the U.S. Government. From 1989-93, he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Functional Analysis and Research in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the Department of State. From 1987-89, he was the Special Assistant to the Secretary for National Security and Director of the Office of Intelligence Support at the Department of the Treasury. Prior to moving to Treasury, he served as a professional staff member, first as Assistant Director and subsequently as Deputy Executive Director, of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (PFIAB) at the White House from 1982-87.

Before entering the Executive Branch of the government, Mr. Fort was selected as a Henry Luce Scholar in 1980-81, and served during that program as a Research Assistant to a Member of the Japanese Diet (parliament), one of the first foreigners ever to achieve such a position. From 1976-80, he worked for Rep. Bill Gradison (R-Ohio) in several capacities, including election campaign staff in 1976 and 1978, Legislative Assistant, and District Representative in the Cincinnati district office.

Mr. Fort was born in Richmond, Indiana on July 4, 1956. He graduated from The George Washington University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts, With Distinction, as well as earning Phi Beta Kappa honors. He also attended the University of Cincinnati and Ohio State University, where he studied Japanese.