Lee J. Lofthus
Lee J. Lofthus serves as the Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Federal Prison Industries (FPI). Mr. Lofthus joined the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 1982, and was responsible for agency-wide financial operations, budget development and execution. He served in various management positions, including Comptroller and Deputy Chief Financial Officer for DOJ, Chief of the Finance Branch for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Director of Finance for DOJ's Justice Management Division. He was also a key executive liaison with Congressional subcommittees on appropriations and performed outreach with stakeholders and the media on the budget. In December 2006, Mr. Lofthus was appointed as the Assistant Attorney General for Administration, a position he held for 16 years before his retirement in June 2022; serving a total of 39+ years of distinguished public service.
In May 2007, Mr. Lofthus received a Presidential appointment to serve on the Board of Directors for FPI (trademark UNICOR); and he continues to serve on the Board today. In July 2024, Mr. Lofthus returned to public service upon his appointment as Interim CEO for UNICOR/Interim Assistant Director for FPI with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
As Interim Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lofthus will oversee the strategic direction and daily operations of FPI-the largest training program for adults in custody (AICs) in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. FPI provides job skills training to approximately 10,402 federal AICs annually in 64 factories nationwide.
Mr. Lofthus received his Master's degree in Business Administration in 1982, from American University in Washington, D.C. He was the recipient of a Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award in 2006, a Presidential Distinguished Executive Rank Award in 2009, the William H. Levi Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Exemplary Integrity in 2016, the David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service in 2020, and the Edmund J. Randolph Award in 2022.