Inside the DEA, DEA Leadership, James D. Craig

Fred S. Ganem is in his 26th year with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and currently serves as the Acting Assistant Administrator for the Operational Support Division. Mr. Ganem is also acting as the agency’s Chief Information Officer. Mr. Ganem has oversight responsibilities for DEA’s Office of Information Systems, Office of Administration, Office of Forensic Sciences, and Office of Investigative Technology. In essence, Mr. Ganem is responsible for all DEA facilities, equipment, forensic and digital laboratories, computer systems, and telecommunications intercept programs throughout the world. He manages DEA’s largest Division, with over 1,000 employees (including contractors) and an annual budget of approximately $600 million.

Mr. Ganem began his law enforcement career in 1981 with the Barnstable County, Massachusetts Sheriff’s Department in 1981. He joined DEA in 1982 and served as a street agent in Detroit, Michigan and Miami, Florida, as well as in Nicosia, Cyprus. He was initially promoted in 1991, serving as a Supervisor in the Boston Field Division in Massachusetts and was later reassigned in 1996 to the Office of Professional Conduct at DEA Headquarters. In 1997, Mr. Ganem was promoted again, serving assignments as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Special Operations Division and in the Miami Field Division, Florida. In 2006, Mr. Ganem was promoted to DEA's Senior Executive Service as the Associate Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division and in 2007 was selected to serve as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Investigative Technology, Operational Support Division at DEA Headquarters.

For many years, Mr. Ganem has been at the forefront of emerging telecommunications and Title III intercept issues. He has forged numerous relationships within the law enforcement community, as well as the telecommunications industry, while playing a significant role in evolving legislation relative to law enforcement issues.

Mr. Ganem was born in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1982, he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University located in Boston, Massachusetts. He has been married for 17 years and has one teenage daughter. Mr. Ganem currently resides in Northern Virginia.