Jeffrey K. Harris


Jeffrey K. Harris is an American aerospace executive who served as 11th director of the National Reconnaissance Office from 1994 to 1996. He is currently the chairman of the board of the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation.

Life and career

Harris graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology. In 1978, he transferred from the National Photographic Intelligence Center to The Office of Development and Engineering.

Time at NRO

Mr. Harris managed the integration of NRO programs into three functional directorates. He was a member of the R. James Woolsey panel that studied the future of NRO systems. He was a major proponent and architect of consolidating signals intelligence systems in a new partnership with the National Security Agency. Mr. Harris directed the CORONA program declassification and established a public affairs program.
Harris and deputy director Jimmie D. Hill were dismissed in 1996 after losing track of more than $2 billion in classified money. Harris was replaced by Keith Hall.
Harris was named president of the Space Systems-Missiles & Space Operations division of Lockheed Martin in 2001.