U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mark J. Fedor is furthering partnerships and operations denying transnational criminal organizations the ability to exploit shipment routes in the movement of narcotics, precursor chemicals, bulk cash, human trafficking and weapons as director of Joint Interagency Task Force South. Fedor assumed the duties of Director, Joint Interagency Task Force South in July 2022. JIATF-S conducts detection and monitoring (D&M) operations to facilitate the interdiction of illicit trafficking in support of national and partner nation security. He most recently served as the Assistant Commandant for Resources (CG-8) and the Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. Coast Guard. In this capacity, he was responsible for all budgetary, financial, and resource management activities relating to the programs and operations of the Coast Guard. A career cutterman, he has nearly 12 years of sea-time with three command tours including the National Security Cutter JAMES (WMSL 754) in Charleston, S.C. During this command, JAMES earned the Hopley Yeaton award for operational excellence as well as the United States Interdiction Coordinator award for counter-narcotics operations in the Eastern Pacific. His previous operational assignments include being Commanding Officer of the cutter MOHAWK, Executive Officer on the cutter LEGARE, Commanding Officer of the patrol boat MONOMOY, Operations Officer onboard the cutter DURABLE, and First Lieutenant onboard the cutter DAUNTLESS. His staff tours include being the Executive Assistant to Admiral Karl L. Schultz, the 26th Commandant of the Coast Guard. His previous staff assignments include being the Chief of Response for the Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami, FL, the Coast Guard’s Fiscal Year 2004 federal budget coordinator, a Congressional Fellow to the House of Representatives’ Government Reform Subcommittee for Drug Policy and the Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation, as well as Special Assistant and Speechwriter to the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard. Fedor’s personal decorations include three Legion of Merits, four Meritorious Service Medals, two Coast Guard Commendation Medals, four Coast Guard Achievement Medals and the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation.