Board Members - Bios
Louis J. Freeh
Board Member IACP
Louis J. Freeh was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers College in 1971. Mr. Freeh received a J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School in 1974 and an LL.M. degree in criminal law from New York University Law School in 1984, and is a member of the New York, New Jersey, and District of Columbia bars. He served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.
Mr. Freeh served as an FBI Special Agent from 1975 to 1981 in the New York City Field Office and as a Supervisor at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC. In 1981 he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York as an Assistant United States Attorney. Subsequently, he held positions there as Chief of the Organized Crime Unit, Associate United States Attorney, and Deputy United States attorney.
During this time, Mr. Freeh tried dozens of cases and was the lead prosecutor in the “Pizza Connection” case, one of the largest and most complex narcotics investigations ever undertaken by the Government. Following the investigation, Mr. Freeh served as the Government’s principal courtroom attorney in the 17-month trial and won the conviction of 16 of 17 codefendants. In May 1990, he was appointed a Special Prosecutor by the Attorney General to oversee the investigation into the mail-bomb murders of Federal Judge Robert Vance of Birmingham, Alabama, and civil rights leader Robert Robinson of Savannah, Georgia. Both were killed by mail bombs. After an extensive investigation, the suspect was apprehended and convicted. Mr. Freeh prosecuted the case.
In 1987 and 1991, he received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the second highest annual honor given by the Department of Justice. Other commendations include the John Marshall Award for Preparation of Litigation, awarded annually by the Attorney General, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Award.
In July 1991, former President George Bush appointed Mr. Freeh a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. He was serving in this position when nominated to be Director of the FBI by President Bill Clinton on July 20, 1993. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 6, 1993 and was sworn in on September 1, 1993. Mr. Freeh retired as FBI Director on June 25, 2001.
From September 10, 2001, to January 1, 2006, Mr. Freeh served as a Vice Chairman of MBNA America Bank, N.A., then a Fortune 200 company and the largest independent credit card issuer. He also served as the General Counsel for the Bank and MBNA Corporation, Corporate Secretary, and Ethics Officer. Additionally, Mr. Freeh led Corporate Affairs, Government Affairs, Corporate Investigations, and the Ethics Office.
Bank of America acquired MBNA Corporation on January 1, 2006. On behalf of MBNA, Mr. Freeh served as its principal lawyer in connection with this $35 billion transaction. Although Bank of America offered Mr. Freeh a senior leadership position, he elected to leave pursuant to the change of control provisions.
