Naman Shrestha
In Netflix’s ‘American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden,’ the focus is on the 9/11 attacks and the lasting impact they left on the entire nation. After the devastating day, the CIA officials were determined to make Osama bin Laden and the rest of Al-Qaida pay for the horrors they caused. The director of the Counterterrorism Center, Joseph Cofer Black, was given the responsibility to lead the investigation to capture the terrorists and bring them to justice. He served under President George W. Bush until his resignation in 2004. The three-part documentary series also features an exclusive interview with Cofer, who provides more insight into the mission.
Cofer Black Has Been Associated With Various Organizations
Born in 1950, Joseph Cofer Black was brought up in Ridgefield, Connecticut. In 1973, he earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California. From the same university, he also completed his Master’s degree in International Relations. After being a part of the doctoral program at the University of Southern California until 1975, he joined the CIA. In late 2002, he took up the role of the US Department of State’s Ambassador-at-Large for counter-terrorism. After retiring from the counter-terrorism position in November 2004, Joseph Cofer Black became the Vice Chairman of Blackwater USA in 2005.
The private military contractor was renamed Blackwater Worldwide and then Xe before finally changing into Academi. Upon finding out that the organization allegedly made illegal payments to Iraqi officials, he resigned from his position in 2008. For his next professional venture, he switched to Blackbird Technologies, where he served as Vice President for Global Operations from 2009 to 2014. Cofer was also affiliated with a private intelligence gathering group called Total Intelligence Solutions, serving as the Chairman. During the 2012 presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, he was chosen as his Special Advisor on all foreign policy issues.
Cofer Black is Currently the Director of a Biotechnology Company
Cofer was also named as one of the board directors of Burisma, a Ukrainian oil and gas corporation, in February 2017. His responsibility included leading the security and strategic development efforts of the corporation. In January 2016, he joined Northwest Biotherapeutics (NWBO) in the capacity of an independent director. The Maryland-based biotechnology company is known for developing cancer immunotherapies for solid tumors cancers. More than eight years later, in the summer of 2024, he was re-elected as the director, with 93% of the votes in his favor. The former CIA associate was also a part of the board of a Latvian bank that shut down due to being involved in money laundering.
Throughout his professional career, Joseph Cofer Black has been the recipient of several performance awards and meritorious citations. Besides earning the CIA’s highest achievement award — the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, he has also received the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the Donavan Award, the Exceptional Collector Award, and the George HW Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism. While there is plenty of information about his professional life, he maintains secrecy and privacy when it comes to his personal and family life.
Read More: Robert O’Neill: Where is the SEAL Team 6 Sniper Who Shot Osama bin Laden Now?
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