Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Inductee - Larry Wansley
2013 Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Recipient
Larry Wansley
Mr. Larry Wansley is a 1959 graduate and was a member of the first freshmen class to enter Festus High School from the Douglass High School. He graduated from California State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Police Science and Administration, with additional post graduate studies at California Lutheran University, Sam Houston State, UCLA and USC.
Mr. Wansley is an internationally recognized Security, Risk Management and Asset Protection Professional. He is a former U.S. Marine and FBI Agent with extensive security experience in mass transportation, professional sports, asset protection, critical infrastructure, crisis management, emergency planning and business continuity.
Mr. Wansley is the former Managing Director of Corporate Security for American Airlines, its parent AMR Corporation and multiple subsidiaries. In 1997, he initiated a proposed Federal Aviation Security Program (Federal Security Screening Agency) to government and industry. The program was later used in establishing the TSA after the 9/11 attacks. As the head of global security, he directed American/American Eagle and Trans World Airlines’ security operations, compliance and asset protection programs.
Prior to joining American Airlines, and after his FBI career, Mr. Wansley served as the Dallas Cowboys Operations Director and Director of Player Counseling Services. He also served as the Director of Security and Player Counseling Services for the NFL’s World League, which later became NFL Europe. He has been involved in security planning for many events, including Super Bowls. Through his concurrent roles in multiple disciplines, the needs of safety, security, operations and compliance are interconnected, and effectively served by his experience. He is a frequent TV and radio network commentator on matters of aviation security and is the author of FBI Undercover which chronicled his 10-year period as one of the FBI’s first long term deep undercover agents.
Mr. Wansley is a member of numerous international government and industry bodies including the U.S. State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council, American Society of Industrial Security, NFL Commissioner’s Security Advisory Committee, Aviation Professionals Association, Former FBI Agents Society and others. He has received awards from the FBI Director, Immigration and Naturalization Service Director, U.S. State Department, U.S. Customs Commissioner, Los Angeles City Council, Drug Enforcement Administration, National Eagle Leadership-Career Focus Magazine, Missouri House of Representative resolution as the state’s Outstanding Missourian and Dallas, Texas Father of the Year in 2008.
Mr. Wansley is currently the Director of Security for the Dallas Cowboys Football Club and CSO/Member of the Board of Directors for Resilient Integrated Systems.
He has been married to his wife Scharrol for 49 years and they have two children, Robben and Bryan.