ARLINGTON, Va. – NACDS announced Tuesday that Eric Traupe, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) assistant director and national intelligence leader, will speak at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Chain Members and NACDS Political Action Committee (NACDS-PAC) Breakfast during the 2023 NACDS Annual Meeting, to be held April 22-25 in Palm Beach, Fla.

Eric Traupe

 

A powerful voice in the intelligence community and one of its leading national security professionals, Traupe served on the front lines of U.S. counterterrorism efforts for more than 20 years. Throughout his career, Traupe acted as a trusted advisor to CIA directors, presidents, cabinet and military officials and members of Congress. He also participated in a range of White House strategic, policy and resource decisions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Eric Traupe to this year’s NACDS Annual Meeting,” said NACDS president and CEO Steven Anderson. “With geopolitical risks, global economic stress and dynamics involving China, Russia and North Korea top-of-mind, attendees can look forward to an extremely timely discussion.”

In addition to advising U.S. and world leaders, military officials and private industry executives in his role as assistant director of CIA for the Near East, Traupe’s work centered on responding to trends impacting the global landscape.

Notably, Traupe directed traditional intelligence activities focused on Iran’s nuclear and regional ambitions; CIA’s foreign partnerships across the Middle East and North Africa; and global competition with China and Russia. He also spearheaded initiatives to develop cyber, technology and data exploitation solutions to address complex national security issues.

As a member of CIA’s Expanded Corporate Board, Traupe led thousands of officers from different professional units, developed and executed multi-billion-dollar budgets and addressed acute intelligence and foreign policy challenges on behalf of the CIA director.

Prior to the CIA, Traupe served in the U.S. Marine Corps for nearly 10 years. He held several command and staff assignments and completed deployments to the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans, Japan and Europe.

Traupe’s contributions to the intelligence community have been recognized with several honors, including the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, Clandestine Service Career Award, CIA’s Director Award (twice), George W. Bush Award for Excellence and the Presidential Rank Award – to name a few.

Traupe holds an MBA in international business from American University and a BA in communications from the University of Michigan. While at Michigan, he played Division I football as an inside linebacker, participating in two Rose Bowls and a Gator Bowl.

The bipartisan NACDS-PAC supports Congressional candidates who understand and help to advance pro-pharmacy and pro-patient policies. The NACDS-PAC Breakfast features leaders of diverse political and ideological perspectives, and is part of the NACDS Chain Members and PAC Breakfast, during which NACDS-related business is conducted. The event is open to NACDS chain members and to NACDS-PAC invitees.

NACDS invites all chain and associate members to register and attend the 2023 NACDS Annual Meeting, to be held April 22-25.