June 17, 2009

Admiral Thomas Fargo, USN (Retired)
former Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command

Topic:  A Pacific Perspective on Maritime Capacity Building

ADMIRAL TOM FARGO, USN (Ret.), former Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, has served as Managing Director of J.F. Lehman and Company since April 2008. Prior to accepting this position, he was President of Trex Enterprises from 2005-2008. Trex conducts leading edge Research and Development for the Defense and National Security.

Admiral Fargo joined the private sector after a distinguished career serving the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense.  He was the twentieth officer to hold the position of Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command. As the senior U.S. military commander in East Asia, and the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas, he led the largest unified command while directing the joint operations of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force across 100 million miles. He was responsible to the President and the Secretary of Defense and was the U.S. military representative for collective defense arrangements in
the Pacific.

Admiral Fargo also served as the 29th Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from October 1999 to May 2002. His service as a leader in the Pacific was preceded by his command of the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces of the Central Command during two years of Iraqi contingency operations from July 1996 to July 1998. His 35 years of service included six tours in Washington, D.C., in addition to five commands in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Middle East.

Born in San Diego, CA, he attended high school in Coronado, CA, and Sasebo, Japan. Admiral Fargo graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1970. He is a 1989 recipient of the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership.

Admiral Fargo is based out of Honolulu, Hawaii, office. He additionally serves on the Boards of Directors for Northrop Grumman Corporation, Hawaiian Electric Industries, USAA, and works in the community supporting the Japan-America Society, Iolani School Board of Governors and the Hawaii Pacific University Board of Trustees.