After more than three decades of extraordinary service, Brian Erickson, PE, has officially retired from the U.S. Coast Guard. Surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues from across his storied career, Erickson celebrated his retirement at Coast Guard Headquarters, marking the end of a 32-year journey defined by leadership, innovation, and an enduring commitment to public service.
Erickson most recently served as the Deputy Director of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Presidential Transition Office (PTO), where he played a pivotal role in supporting the Department’s transition activities in coordination with DHS operational components, the White House, and other federal agencies. In this role, Erickson provided strategic oversight for complex interagency planning efforts and helped ensure the continuity of operations across DHS during an administration change—demonstrating the same precision and foresight that defined his Coast Guard tenure.
His career with the Coast Guard spanned operational command, engineering, budget oversight, and executive leadership. He notably served as the first Chief Data & Artificial Intelligence Officer, where he led a transformative initiative to elevate data as a strategic asset. Under his leadership, the Coast Guard laid the foundational frameworks to integrate artificial intelligence across mission areas, enabling faster insights and data-driven decision-making for a 60,000-strong workforce.
Earlier in his career, Erickson commanded Air Station Savannah, overseeing a 110-member team responsible for operations across coastal South Carolina, Georgia, and North Florida. He also served as a budget reviewer at Coast Guard Headquarters, managing $1.3 billion in program requests and aligning them with strategic priorities. As an operational pilot and engineer, he led maintenance and logistics departments, served as a search and rescue aircraft commander, and brought a systems-level perspective to aviation readiness.
A 2020–2021 MIT Sloan Fellow, Erickson has consistently combined technical depth with visionary leadership. His contributions were recognized in 2024 when he was awarded the Homeland Security Trailblazer Award—honoring his enduring impact on national security and innovation.
“For those who stand the watch on the frontier of a truly unknown horizon, find your passion, take care of your people and serve like a champion every day!” Erickson shared in a message reflecting on his career and service.
As he enters his next chapter, Erickson’s legacy will continue to shape the future of data, technology, and national security leadership.