President Obama made history Tuesday, by appointing Julia A. Pierson, the first female director to lead the United States Secret Service in its 148-year-old existence.
Pierson, who graduated from the University of Central Florida, served as an officer in the Orlando Police Department before joining the Secret Service as a Special Agent in Miami.
In announcing the appointment Obama praised Pierson for her more than “30 years of experience with the secret service [where she] consistently exemplified the spirit of dedication the men and women of the service demonstrate every day.”
Obama added, “Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own.”
Florida Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09) today praised the President’s history-making appointment, calling Pierson’s appointment an “incredible achievement.”  Â
