Cox has also been appointed to the Army Senior Executive Service Corps, the civilian equivalent to a general or flag officer. Through this appointment, Cox enters into a small and distinct group of senior executives tasked with providing leadership to the civilian workforce.

Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, the commanding general of CCDC, the Center’s higher headquarters, announced the promotion on May 14 with an effective date of May 26.

“Being selected as director of R&T is an honor,” said Cox. “Having a dedicated person leading the R&T Directorate means giving the workforce increased stability while also giving us more opportunities to enact meaningful and sustained change.”

With his start in chemical and biological defense as a contractor supporting projects for the Department of Homeland Security and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cox found himself supporting the overall chemical and biological defense mission of the United States. But a leadership role wasn’t a career goal in his formative years.

“Early on, I did not have a desire to be in management or leadership roles­­– but opportunities were presented to me and I was encouraged to take them,” Cox said. “Throughout my career, people always trusted me to do what was best for the employees and for the mission and in many ways, they saw the leader in me when I didn’t always see it in myself.”

Cox made his transition from contractor to civilian employee in 2009 when he became the Center’s Chemical Biological Radiological Filtration Branch chief. After dedicated service supporting his team, he was asked to take another step up the ladder as Chemical and Biological Protection and Decontamination Division chief.

Known for his calm demeanor, friendly presence and team-oriented mindset, Cox was promoted to deputy director of the Center’s R&T Directorate in 2017. In that role, he was responsible for maintaining facilities occupied by all the researchers under directorate, leading employee professional development and developing action plans to meet the Center’s needs.

In 2018, Cox served as the acting director of R&T, a position in which he was responsible for overseeing the Center’s robust science and technology program, including 400 government and contract personnel and 200 buildings worth $1.8 billion.

Cox graduated from Loyola University with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and completed his doctoral studies at the University of Delaware.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to meet with the workforce in face-to-face meetings,” Cox said, “in order to get a better understanding of how I can help them be more successful and ultimately help make the Center more successful.”