John E. McLaughlin ’64 will assume the position of interim director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in July, following the resignation of Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet, President George Bush announced in June.

McLaughlin, Wittenberg’s 2001 Commencement speaker, has served as the deputy director of central intelligence, the No. 2 position in the CIA, since Oct. 19, 2000.

McLaughlin served as deputy director of intelligence, the agency’s top analyst position, from 1997-2000. Following three years in the military, graduation from the Infantry Officer Candidate School and a one-year tour of duty in Southeast Asia, McLaughlin was hired by the CIA in 1972.

In the early part of his career, he worked on various European, Russian and Eurasian issues in the Directorate of Intelligence. As deputy director for intelligence, McLaughlin analyzed political, economic and military events worldwide.

He also created the Senior Analytic Service, a CIA career track that enables analysts to rise to senior rank without branching out into management.

Additionally, he founded The Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis, an institution dedicated to teaching the history, mission and essential skills of the analytic profession to new CIA employees.

McLaughlin majored in political science at Wittenberg and earned a master’s in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.