The Honorable Alfonso Martinez-Fonts, Jr. Assistant Secretary, Private Sector Office U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, District of Columbia

On November 27, 2005, Alfonso “Al” Martinez-Fonts, Jr. was appointed Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector Office at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As Assistant Secretary, Mr. Martinez-Fonts is charged with providing America’s private sector with a direct line of communication to the Department. He and the Private Sector Office work directly with individual business and through trade associations and other non-governmental organizations to foster dialogue between the private sector and the Department.

Mr. Martinez-Fonts was born in Havana, Cuba. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from Villanova University in 1971 and his master’s degree in business administration in finance from Long Island University in 1974. He began his 30-year career with Chemical Bank (a JP Morgan Chase predecessor organization) as a management trainee and worked his way through the organization as a lending officer in the Metropolitan Division and the International Division. He then became president of the Bank in San Antonio. In April 2002, he retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JP Morgan Chase Bank. Mr. Martinez-Fonts has served on many boards, including The Greater El Paso Chamber Foundation, Project ARRIBA, ACCION International, and ACCION USA.