G. Michael "Mike" Epperson
2013-09-30
G. EPPERSON Obituary
EPPERSON G. MICHAEL EPPERSON G. Michael Epperson, a distinguished former officer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), passed away on September 30, 2013, after a brief illness. He retired from federal service in July 2012 after serving in senior positions at the CIA's National Clandestine Service (NCS) and the National Security Council. Most recently Mr. Epperson was a member of Omniplex World Services Corporate Board of Directors, a Senior Advisor to Altamont Capital Partners, and a Senior Advisor on intelligence issues for A-T Solutions. Mr. Epperson was consistently noted for his creativity, dedication, and ability to collaborate with a broad range of colleagues and partners. He applied those attributes to numerous important assignments at home and abroad, encouraging his people to take fresh approaches to their work, and emphasizing the importance of quality intelligence wherever he served. Immediately prior to retiring from the CIA, he served as the head of a major CIA component. Mr. Epperson also recently served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs at the National Security Council (NSC), the senior intelligence officer in the White House and head of the NSC's Intelligence Programs Directorate. He was also Executive Assistant to then Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, John McLaughlin. Mr. Epperson served overseas in the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and elsewhere. Prior to his federal service, from 1981 until 1991 Mr. Epperson was a partner in the Washington office of the Chicago law firm, Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, where he practiced corpo rate and business law. He was a member of the DC bar. Mr. Epperson graduated from Stanford University in 1978 with a BA in History and an MA in Russian and East European Studies and was a member of the Stanford varsity soccer team. He received his JD from Harvard Law School in 1981 and an MA in Education Policy from George Washington University in 1987. At times of unprecedented change in CIA leadership, he worked with top levels of the U.S. Government to establish methods of meeting new challenges. Upon his retirement from the CIA in 2012, Mr. Epperson received the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal for his Agency service. He had previously received the Donovan Award, the highest award in the NCS. He spoke Russian, Polish, and French. Mr Epperson is survived by three sons from his previous marriage to Katharine Epperson-Ian (a Second Lieutenant in the USMC), Trevor (working in Bethesda), and Colin (a junior at Stanford)-and his sister Jane Lohraff. Of all his outstanding accomplishments, he was proudest of his three sons. Services will be held on Saturday October 5 at 1 p.m. at Pumphrey's Funeral Home, 300 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Mr Epperson's memory to the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation- ciamemorialfoundation.org. Expressions of condolence may be sent to the family at 5623 McLean Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20814.Expressions of condolence may be sent to the family at 5623 McLean Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20814.
EPPERSON G. MICHAEL EPPERSON G. Michael Epperson, a distinguished former officer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), passed away on September 30, 2013, after a brief illness. He retired from federal service in July 2012 after serving in senior positions at the CIA's National Clandestine Service (NCS) and the National Security Council. Most recently Mr. Epperson was a member of Omniplex World Services Corporate Board of Directors, a Senior Advisor to Altamont Capital Partners, and a Senior Advisor on intelligence issues for A-T Solutions. Mr. Epperson was consistently noted for his creativity, dedication, and ability to collaborate with a broad range of colleagues and partners. He applied those attributes to numerous important assignments at home and abroad, encouraging his people to take fresh approaches to their work, and emphasizing the importance of quality intelligence wherever he served. Immediately prior to retiring from the CIA, he served as the head of a major CIA component. Mr. Epperson also recently served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs at the National Security Council (NSC), the senior intelligence officer in the White House and head of the NSC's Intelligence Programs Directorate. He was also Executive Assistant to then Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, John McLaughlin. Mr. Epperson served overseas in the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and elsewhere. Prior to his federal service, from 1981 until 1991 Mr. Epperson was a partner in the Washington office of the Chicago law firm, Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, where he practiced corpo rate and business law. He was a member of the DC bar. Mr. Epperson graduated from Stanford University in 1978 with a BA in History and an MA in Russian and East European Studies and was a member of the Stanford varsity soccer team. He received his JD from Harvard Law School in 1981 and an MA in Education Policy from George Washington University in 1987. At times of unprecedented change in CIA leadership, he worked with top levels of the U.S. Government to establish methods of meeting new challenges. Upon his retirement from the CIA in 2012, Mr. Epperson received the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal for his Agency service. He had previously received the Donovan Award, the highest award in the NCS. He spoke Russian, Polish, and French. Mr Epperson is survived by three sons from his previous marriage to Katharine Epperson-Ian (a Second Lieutenant in the USMC), Trevor (working in Bethesda), and Colin (a junior at Stanford)-and his sister Jane Lohraff. Of all his outstanding accomplishments, he was proudest of his three sons. Services will be held on Saturday October 5 at 1 p.m. at Pumphrey's Funeral Home, 300 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Mr Epperson's memory to the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation- ciamemorialfoundation.org. Expressions of condolence may be sent to the family at 5623 McLean Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20814.Expressions of condolence may be sent to the family at 5623 McLean Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20814.