Biography of our new District Commander, Rear Admiral Keith Taylor

Shipmates,

On Tuesday Rear Admiral Keith Taylor relieved Rear Admiral Gary Blore as our District Commander. I always find it interesting to read the biographies of our leadership:

Rear Admiral Keith A. Taylor serves as the Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District headquartered in Seattle, Washington. As District Commander, he is responsible for U.S. Coast Guard operations covering 4 states, more than 4,400 miles of coastline, 600 miles of inland waterways, and a 125 international border with Canada. Prior to this assignment, Rear Admiral Taylor served as the Assistant Commandant for Resources and Chief Financial Officer, where he was responsible for Coast Guard financial management and resource activities including planning, programming, budgeting and execution of the service’s appropriations. He was promoted to flag rank in March 2008.

Graduating from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1983, Rear Admiral Taylor first served aboard USCGC SPAR (WLB-403) in Portland, Maine, followed by Naval Flight Training in Pensacola, Florida. His first aviation unit was Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts where he qualified as an HH-3F Aircraft Commander. In 1989 he was assigned to Air Station Sitka, Alaska, and in 1991 he was designated an Aeronautical Engineering Officer. From Alaska, RADM Taylor moved to Air Station Traverse City, Michigan where he “fleeted-up” to Engineering Officer and served as an HH-60J Instructor Pilot.

From 1996 to 2000, Rear Admiral Taylor was assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters, first in the Office of Aeronautical Engineering as the depot maintenance program financial manager and CFO Act audit liaison, and for the last half of his tour in the Office of Programs and Budget where he completed financial analysis, program review and budget development for Coast Guard law enforcement, intelligence and international affairs activities. As the Aeronautical Engineering Officer at Air Station Clearwater, Florida, from 2001 to 2003, he supported 12 HH-60J and 6 HC-130H aircraft, and coordinated logistics support for extensive deployed operations. From 2003 to 2006, he commanded Air Station Miami. Under his leadership the Coast Guard’s 3rd oldest air station operated 9 HH-65C and 6 HU-25D aircraft, expertly executing safety and security missions across the Caribbean basin to Central and South America. Prior to his current assignment, Rear Admiral Taylor served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard from 2006 to 2008 where he helped direct service-wide coordination, strategic planning, policy development, financial actions and general management.

A native of Westfield, Massachusetts, Rear Admiral Taylor holds a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a Master of Science in Industrial Administration degree from the Krannert School at Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was a Sloan Fellow in 2000/2001. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Air Medal, two Commendation Medals and the Transportation 9-11 Medal.