Securing the Skies

A hometown education launches global security career for Chris Hacker, ’93 ’95

Chris Hacker, ’93 ’95, director of corporate security programs, executive protection and investigations at Delta Air Lines, built a career around protecting people. Before working in positions spanning from local law enforcement to the FBI and now global security, Hacker earned his education in his hometown at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). 

From Richmond, Kentucky, attending EKU felt like a natural choice.

“There was a family connection,” Hacker said. “My grandfather was big in education in the public school system, and he’d gone to EKU. But really, it just seemed like the place I was going to go.”

Initially undecided on a major, he explored many different options, from psychology and sociology to military science. He soon felt right at home in the police administration program, now the police studies program. 

“I fell in love with the program,” he said. “It was a good fit for me, and I felt like I could thrive in that environment.”

This decision would launch Hacker’s distinguished career as a police officer, a Special Agent in Charge with the FBI and later a top security executive at Delta Air Lines. 

“Being in that program really put me around a lot of people who had the same kind of goals,” Hacker recalled. “That made school a lot more meaningful.”

He also credited the faculty, adding, “It really didn’t feel like I was going to class. I looked forward to it because they were so interesting and engaging. You could feel how supportive they were.”

While studying at EKU, Hacker sought practical experience and became the first EKU student to intern with the Richmond Police Department. 

“That gave me a real-world look at what the job was like,” he said. Working with a professor to help build out the internship program, this initiative led to the integration of hands-on training into the program’s curriculum for future students.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1995, Hacker joined the Lexington Police Department, where he worked as a police officer until he joined the FBI as a Special Agent. 

He then spent more than two decades in federal service, rising to the rank of Deputy Assistant Director and eventually leading the Atlanta field office as Special Agent in Charge. He traveled the country, gained expertise in counterterrorism, criminal investigations and crisis response, and worked alongside some of the most respected law enforcement professionals in the world. 

“If it weren’t for my education at EKU, I would have never been qualified,” he said. “But because I had that degree, I was able to strive for an agency like the FBI. Some may think it’s unattainable—but it’s not.”

Today, Hacker brings that same mindset to his role at Delta Air Lines, where he leads global corporate security efforts for one of the world’s largest aviation companies. 

With about 5,000 flights a day and over 100,000 employees at Delta, he said, “It’s a massive, complex operation and safety is our number one priority. So many of the skills I learned at EKU and developed through the FBI apply directly to what I do now.”

Reflecting on where his career has taken him from EKU to the FBI and corporate security at Delta Air Lines, Hacker credits the support of his wife. “My wife, Kristy, has been a major driving force in any success I have had. She’s my biggest cheerleader and best friend,” he said. 

After transitioning into his role at Delta, Hacker had the opportunity to reconnect with EKU and participate in the Alumni Spotlight event last spring. 

“Getting to see how much the campus has grown was amazing,” he said. “Going back to the Stratton Building with my family and speaking to hundreds of students—that was really special.”

Hacker has also witnessed the evolution and adaptation of EKU’s College of Justice, Safety and Military Science over the years. “When I graduated, 9/11 hadn’t happened yet—the focus on homeland security and threats of a 9/11 style terror attack were unthinkable,” he said. “I’ve seen EKU add degrees in intelligence studies and homeland security that are providing students the knowledge and skills they will need to excel in their future careers protecting the American people.”

Impressed by EKU’s aviation and other high-demand programs, he added, “There are EKU grads who are pilots at Delta, and I’ve run into graduates from the safety and emergency management programs in places like FEMA and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. It’s inspiring to see the programs are not just surviving—they’re thriving.”

Hacker doesn’t hesitate when it comes to encouraging others to choose EKU. “It’s a place where people can call home, even if they’re not from there,” he said. “You run into people from all over the world, but it’s still small enough that you don’t get lost. The campus is beautiful, the faculty really care and it’s a great place to start building your future.”

As for those considering a career in law enforcement or public safety, his advice is even more personal. “I still draw from my experiences at EKU. I wouldn’t be where I am—at the FBI, or at Delta Air Lines—if it weren’t for EKU,” Hacker stated.

By Ethan Sirles