Executive Mosaic is honored to introduce Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth, incoming director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, as a 2022 recipient of the prestigious Wash100 Award – an annual recognition honoring the top 100 executives in the government contracting sector for their visionary leadership and notable impacts across the federal landscape.
This marks Whitworth’s first Wash100 Award. He is being recognized for his many years of dedicated military service, as well as the leadership and influence he is anticipated to deliver while serving in his new role as NGA director.
Visit Wash100.com to cast your vote for Whitworth as your favorite GovCon leader, view the full list of this year’s esteemed winners and read more about the nine-year history of the Wash100 Award.
“Frank Whitworth is a highly decorated logistics expert and keen strategist deserving of his new role as NGA Director and his Wash100 Award,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award. Garrettson continued, “Frank is presented the Wash100 in advance for his service, which we anticipate will be an uncommon and significant contribution to our national security.”
President Biden nominated Whitworth to lead the NGA in January 2022. The Navy vice admiral received Senate confirmation in early February to become the eighth agency leader and will transition from his current role as director of intelligence (J2) on the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff to succeed Vice Adm. Robert Sharp, who has led the NGA since February 2019 and will retire later this year after over three decades of military and federal service.
In his next capacity, Whitworth will be responsible for carrying out the NGA’s mission to collect and analyze satellite imagery and deliver geospatial intelligence to the defense and intelligence communities.
He was promoted to his current military rank and assigned to the Joint Staff in July 2021. As head of intelligence, he supports the Joint Staff chairman, the defense secretary and unified commands at the national level, coordinates joint intelligence doctrine and architecture, and manages intelligence for joint warfighting assessments.
Throughout his career, Whitworth has served in several senior-level command roles, including commander of the Joint Intelligence Center Central, commanding officer of the Navy Element of U.S. Central Command and commanding officer of the Kennedy Irregular Warfare Center.
His operational tours in the Navy included serving as director of intelligence of U.S. Africa Command, director of intelligence for Joint Special Operations Command, and director of intelligence and deputy director of Maritime Operations Center for Commander for the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
He also notably served three operational tours in Afghanistan as director of intelligence for a Special Operations Task Force supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Other operations in which he served as an intelligence officer include Operation Allied Force, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort.
In 2018, Whitworth was assigned to deputy chief for Tailored Access Operations of the National Security Agency’s Signal Intelligence Directorate.
Other notable roles in which Whitworth served include senior duty officer at the White House Situation Room, intelligence briefer for the Chief of Naval Operations and Secretary of the Navy, intelligence watch analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence and Navy federal executive fellow to the American Enterprise Institute. Whitworth is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
He has received a myriad of decorations throughout his military service. He has been awarded three Defense Superior Service Medals, four Bronze Stars, five Defense Meritorious Service Medals, a Legion of Merit and the Edwin T. Layton Leadership Award, among a long list of other distinguished honors.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on their selection to the 2022 edition of the Wash100. Whitworth has made significant military and intelligence contributions throughout his career, and we look forward to his future impacts across the federal government.
