Dale Pupillo

2014 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI RECIPIENT

BA 1976, Political Science 

Assistant Director, United States Secret Service (Washington, DC)

A 31-year veteran of the Secret Service, Dale Pupillo was appointed Assistant Director in June 2013.

Pupillo’s career with the Secret Service began in July 1982 in the Washington Field Office. In 1986, Pupillo transferred to the Vice Presidential Protective Division where he served for five years. Following this assignment, he joined the New York Field Office for two years and then the Detroit Field Office for seven years.

While in Detroit, Pupillo entered the agency’s supervisory ranks as the Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge. In 2000, he was selected as the Resident Agent in Charge of the Saginaw Resident Office, where he oversaw Secret Service investigations and protective assignments throughout northern Michigan.

Returning to Washington, Pupillo served as a supervisor with the Vice Presidential Protective Division and the Criminal Investigative Division, and as Special Agent in Charge of the Inspection Division. In 2007, Pupillo was named Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Inspection, the agency’s internal affairs office. 

In 2008 Pupillo was selected as the Special Agent in Charge of the Vice Presidential Protective Division.  He served in that role for Vice Presidents Dick Cheney and Joe Biden. In 2013 Secret Service Director Julia Pearson selected Pupillo to serve as Assistant Director for Human Resources and Training.

Pupillo is a member of the Senior Executive Service and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.  In 2012 Pupillo received the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award from President Obama.

Prior to his career with the Secret Service, Pupillo served from 1976 to 1981 on active duty in the U.S. Navy, including one assignment at the Pentagon.

A native of Gary, Indiana and a graduate of Purdue University, Pupillo and his wife, Marti, have two grown children.