Rear Admiral George N. Naccara assumed the duties of the Commander, First Coast Guard District in February, 2000.  Admiral Naccara is a native of West Milford, New Jersey, and graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1969.  He led First District forces in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as New York was within his area of responsibility.

Prior to his assignment as District Commander, Admiral Naccara served as the Director of Information and Technology, and the Chief Information Officer in Coast Guard Headquarters from 1997 to 2000.  He led the Coast Guard’s initiatives, segments of the Department of Transportation’s and the efforts of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) toward mitigating the potential effects of the Year 2000 computer problem.  In that capacity, Admiral Naccara addressed the United Nations and the Group of Eight nations on the potential disruption to maritime operations and proposed solutions for all vessels which eventually became an international standard.

During his career, he served aboard three cutters, commanding a buoy tender in Chesapeake Bay during the devastating winters of 1976-78.  He also spent many years in the marine safety and environmental protection programs, leading U.S. delegations at IMO in London, England, and completely redesigning the merchant marine licensing and manning regulations.

Admiral Naccara holds a Master of Arts degree in Business Management from Central Michigan University and was a National Security Fellow at Harvard University from 1990-91.  His awards include three Distinguished Service Medals, the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals and many other personal and unit awards.  He is also authorized to wear the Cutterman’s Device and the Marine Safety Insignia.  He is marred to the former Linda Sowa of Seabrook, Maryland.  They have two daughters and two grandchildren.

Admiral Naccara retired from the Coast Guard in 2002 and became one of the first Federal Security Directors for the new Transportation Security Administration in Massachusetts until his retirement in 2014.  He then became the Chief Security Officer for the Massachusetts Port Authority until 2019.