William Thomas Porter

William Thomas Porter, 70, of Snellville, Georgia, went home to his Lord and Savior on Sunday, March 18, 2018. He was born in Clarksville, Georgia on November 7, 1947. Bill received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from North Georgia College where he was also a brother of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He later attended Woodrow Wilson College of Law earning a Juris Doctorate degree. He married Diane Elizabeth Dunkin on July 4, 1987, and together they had 3 children, Keleigh Elizabeth Porter (26; m. Benjamin Andrew Wyszynski), Kristen Marie Porter (23) and Evan Thomas Porter (20). He was a devote Christian with a passion for his family, friends, animals and fishing.

Bill began his career in service to the country almost 50 years ago when he voluntarily enlisted in the United States Army in 1969. After five years of active duty in the military, his civil service career began when he was selected for the General Services Administration’s (GSA) building manager intern program. During his time at GSA, he served in numerous positions with increasing responsibility, including five years as a Federal Building Manager in both Charleston, South Carolina and later in Atlanta, Georgia and a realty specialist. Bill began his career with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in November 1979 as the chief of the Real Property and Space Management Branch from 1979 to 2000.

Following September 11, 2001, Bill became the first director of the former Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness (OSEP) in CDC’s Office of the Director. In this role, he was charged with overseeing the development and implementation of a comprehensive security strategy for nearly 20,000 CDC personnel and hundreds of facilities worldwide. He implemented a robust physical security program requiring all CDC personnel to complete a minimum background investigation before gaining access to CDC facilities. He was also responsible for the development, planning, and execution of CDC’s Continuity of Operations Plan, and for establishing an intelligence program which worked with other government agencies to strengthen the overall security of the United States.

Throughout his federal career, Bill was continually recognized for his extraordinary accomplishments and exemplary performance. Beginning with OSEP, the physical security of CDC facilities was routinely recognized by the GAO, HHS, Department of Justice, and other independent reviewers as a model for federal facilities. On June 12, 2002, Bill received the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service for service to CDC after the September 11 attacks.

Bill’s successes didn’t stop there. He became increasingly focused on the development of his employees to enhance their abilities to better meet the security needs of CDC. His inclusive leadership allowed staff to improve and grow. He leveraged strengths and relationships to enhance the security of CDC personnel and facilities worldwide. He was selected for the Senior Executive Service (SES) in June of 2004, the highest rank for federal career civil servants and in 2011, he was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award for SES based on his career accomplishments before his retirement from federal service that same year.

Bill’s military career included serving 25 years in the US Army and Army Reserves, with five years on active duty, including a tour in Vietnam. During his military career he served with the 101st Airborne Division and with the United States Army Special Forces 10th and 11th Groups. He retired in 1994 at the rank of master sergeant after serving with the Operational Detachments (ODA 322) as an Intelligence and Operations Noncommissioned Officer. While in the military, he was awarded many medals and ribbons, including, but not limited to the Special Forces Tab, the Bronze Star Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross, Expert Rifleman Badge and both US and British Parachutist Badges.

Though he proudly served his country and family, he was a most humble servant of Jesus Christ.

He is survived by his wife, 3 children, a son-in-law, and his brother, Leonard Terry Porter, Sr.

Visitation is scheduled on Monday, March 26, from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the H.M. Patterson & Son Oglethorpe Hill Chapel, 4550 Peachtree Road, NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319.

A celebration of life ceremony will take place Tuesday, March 27, at 11:30 a.m. followed by burial at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the following charities in Bill’s honor: Wounded Warrior Project, The Humane Society of the United States, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center or the Providence Christian Academy Baseball Program, Lilburn, Georgia.