Anthony J. Tether

Dr. Anthony J. Tether was director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) from June 18, 2001, to his retirement on February 20, 2009. DARPA is the principal agency within the Department of Defense for research, development and demonstration of concepts, devices and systems that provide highly advanced military capabilities. As director, Tether was responsible for management of the Agency’s projects for high-payoff, innovative research and development. Until his appointment as director of DARPA, Tether held the position of CEO and president of The Sequoia Group, which he founded in 1996. The Sequoia Group provided program management and strategy development services to government and industry.

From 1994 to 1996, Tether served as CEO for Dynamics Technology Inc. From 1992 to 1994, he was vice president of Science Applications International Corporation’s (SAIC) Advanced Technology Sector, and then vice president and general manager for range systems at SAIC. Prior to this, he spent six years as vice president for technology and advanced development at Ford Aerospace Corp., acquired by Loral Corporation during that period. He has also held positions in the Department of Defense, serving as director of DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office from 1982 through 1986, and as director of the National Intelligence Office in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1978 to 1982. Prior to entering government service, he served as executive vice president of Systems Control Inc. from 1969 to 1978, where he applied estimation and control theory to military and commercial problems with particular concentration on development and specification of algorithms to perform real-time resource allocation and control.

Tether has served on Army and Defense science boards and on the Office of National Drug Control Policy Research and Development Committee. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and listed in several Who’s Who publications. In 1986, Director Central Intelligence Bill Casey and the Department of Defense Civilian Meritorious Service Medal honored him with both the National Intelligence Medal by Secretary Defense Casper Weinberger. In 2009, Secretary Defense Robert Gates honored him with the Department of Defense Outstanding Public Service Medal.

Tether received his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1964, and his Master of Science (1965) and Ph.D. (1969) in electrical engineering from Stanford University.