Eljay B. Bowron

{{Short description|18th Director of the United States Secret Service}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Eljay B. Bowron

| image = Eljay Bowron.jpg

| office = 18th Director of the United States Secret Service

| president = Bill Clinton

| term_start = December 7, 1993

| term_end = April 2, 1997

| predecessor = John Magaw

| successor = Lewis C. Merletti

| office1 = Inspector General of the Department of the Interior

| president1 = Bill Clinton

| term_start1 = November 2, 1998

| term_end1 = March 29, 1999

| predecessor1 = Richard Reback (Acting)

| successor1 = Robert J. Williams (Acting)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|1|2}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Non-partisan

| education = Michigan State University

}}

Eljay B. Bowron (born January 2, 1951) is an American law enforcement officer and secret service agent who served as the 18th Director of the United States Secret Service from 1993 to 1997.

Early life and education

Bowron was born in Detroit, Michigan on January 2, 1951. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1973 after having received a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice. He is married to Sandy Bowron and has a son, Brandon.{{cite web |url=http://npshistory.com/publications/doi/plw/v5n8.pdf |title=Bowron Tapped for Inspector General |publisher=npshistory.com |date=October 1998 |access-date=8 December 2023}}

Career

Bowron began his career in law enforcement as an officer with the Detroit Police Department, before joining the secret service in 1974. He worked as a special agent in the Chicago field office and was primarily assigned to combatting counterfeiting and financial crimes, serving in the Secret Service's intelligence division. Bowron further held special agent positions and assignments in Miami, Houston, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.. He attended the George Washington University’s School of Government and Business Administration Contemporary Executive Development Program, in 1988.

{{cite web |url=https://www.2600.com/secret/more/ss/ss_honcho.html |title=Eljay B. Bowron |publisher=2600.com |date= |access-date=8 December 2023}}

Bowron was appointed as the 18th Director of the United States Secret Service on December 7, 1993 by President Bill Clinton. Bowron held this position until his resignation on April 2, 1997 following his decision to join Ameritech. Of his performance, President Clinton remarked: "Eljay Bowron has done a superb job as Director of the United States Secret Service, and I am accepting his resignation with regret. I have great admiration for what he has accomplished during his service to our country."{{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-the-resignation-eljay-b-bowron-director-the-united-states-secret-service |title=Statement on the Resignation of Eljay B. Bowron as Director of the United States Secret Service |publisher=presidency.ucsb.edu |date=2 April 1997 |access-date=8 December 2023}}

Bowron briefly served as deputy inspector general of the Social Security Administration, before entering public service again when he became assistant comptroller general in the Office of Special Investigations of the General Accounting Office, in October 1997. Bowron was nominated that following year by President Clinton to be the next Inspector General of the Department of the Interior. He was confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote on October 21, 1998, and took office the following month. He maintained his position until March 29, 1999.{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/105th-congress/1395?s=1&r=42 |title=PN1395 — Eljay B. Bowron — Department of the Interior |publisher=congress.gov |date=21 October 1998 |access-date=8 December 2023}}

Later life

After leaving government service, Bowron became the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Vance International, a position he held until 2003. Bowron is also the Chairman and Co-Founder of TorchStone Global. He moved from his residence in Northern Virginia, to Naples, Florida, where he still resides.{{cite web |url=https://www.floridaresidentsdirectory.com/person/116062256/bowron-eljay?amp |title=Eljay B Bowron |publisher=floridaresidentsdirectory.com |date=2019 |access-date=8 December 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.berea.k12.oh.us/cms/lib/OH01000054/Centricity/Domain/1/Eljay%20B.%20Bowron.pdf |title=ELJAY B. BOWRON Chairman, TorchStone Global, LLC |publisher=berea.k12.oh.us |date= |access-date=8 December 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.torchstoneglobal.com/our-leadership-team/ |title=OUR PEOPLE |publisher=torchstoneglobal.com |date= |access-date=8 December 2023}}