Christopher Hinn
CEO/Managing Director, C-7 International, LLC
Former Senior Advisor, Middle Eastern Affairs, Department of Homeland Security

Christopher Hinn was entrusted to perform the most critical and confidential oversights of hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts involving various Middle Eastern entities. He was assigned to review the processes in place and make recommendations that would have generational effects in the Middle East. During the year 2010, Christopher was contracted to represent a UAE entity by performing a review of highly confidential contracts that were being performed by foreign contractors. Mr. Hinn’s extensive experience with government contracting operations, combined with his firm grasp on the geo-political environment and fluent language skills enabled him to perform his duties with exceptional efficiency and effectiveness. Christopher had the operational readiness and gameness to quickly assess the players, evaluate the strategic and program plans, and identify and implement key strategies. Christopher quickly identified areas that were substandard and not transparent to the principals, and his recommendations have made changes in the dynamics of this region that will be beneficial for years to come.

With almost 37 years of experience in the private sector aviation and transportation industries, Christopher Hinn most recently held the federal positions of Senior Middle East Advisor in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Deputy Assistant Administrator of International Programs for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a component of DHS.

Christopher held the position of Senior Advisor, Middle Eastern Affairs to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, and Ambassador Cresencio Arcos, the former Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, DHS. In this capacity, he was the primary DHS point of contact for all Middle Eastern countries. He assisted in the development of the exchange of letters between the TSA and the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, Department of State (DOS), and administered the agreements that were part of the exchange. He also functioned as an intelligence specialist with Charles Allen, Assistant Secretary for Intelligence, DHS. He worked directly with diplomatic representatives of the Gulf States. He developed dialogue and relationships with foreign representatives to assist in the identification of radicalization of United States residents who might threaten the homeland. He also identified local civil agencies that might assist in the development of intelligence leads that would aid the national programs. This process generated Memorandums of Understanding between local and State agencies, and foreign States to cooperate in intelligence information sharing. To attain these goals, he coordinated and participated in both formal and informal discussions between the Secretary of DHS and the Ambassadors of the Arab League.

During his tenure as Deputy Assistant Administrator of International Programs at TSA, Christopher was responsible for the coordination of United States TSA Embassy-status Attaches in the Middle East. He provided expert guidance on the relationships and the administration of policies as they related to transportation issues. He developed the foreign dignitary facilitation program by building upon the existing “Escort Screening Courtesies Program,” which is reserved for foreign cabinet-level officials or equivalent and jointly administered by TSA and the Office of Foreign Missions, DOS. He had direct leadership responsibility in planning DHS Secretary Chertoff’s meetings and agendas with Middle Eastern Ministers and Ambassadors. International Affairs, in September 2005 after serving as the Deputy Assistant Administrator from December 2007. Christopher proactively works with foreign governments and commercial overseas operations to increase international transportation security. He oversees the agency’s international industry representatives, aviation security experts, and transportation security administration representatives (known as TSARs) ensuring representation at U.S. embassies and consulates in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. These individuals are TSA representatives with the agency’s regulatory and inspection responsibilities overseas.

Throughout his career, Christopher has been afforded invitations and audiences with domestic and international dignitaries, government officials, and foreign royal families. Many of these audiences developed into long-term friendships and alliances that continue to the present day. Christopher began his transportation career in 1973 with the Canadian air carrier, Air Canada. After fifteen years with Air Canada, he founded a travel management firm, CTM, Inc., where he successfully facilitated his first 10,000 passengers project for Crossroads Communications to the 1986 World Expo in Vancouver, Canada. In 1988, he became CEO and President of Mighty Eagle Travel and Tours, Inc., a full-service travel company he developed specializing in large-volume international tours and corporate retail travel. He received numerous awards from the travel industry and government for providing excellence in the unique market of facilitating high-volume tours. He was also actively involved in civic and political activities, both locally and nationally.

Christopher’s areas of expertise include conflict resolution, airline security operations, dignitary protection, Middle East cross-cultural interfacing, and multi-agency/jurisdiction coordination. He has extensive experience in the logistics, development, and facilitation of international forums and conferences. His career-spanning security record is without incident.

Since the 1990s, Christopher has been active in law enforcement. After serving as the Liaison to the Chief of Police in Longwood, Florida, he was appointed to the DHS Task Force for Region 5 of the Florida Intelligence Unit in 2003. He utilized his unique network of domestic and international business relationships to facilitate numerous cooperative cross-agency projects with law enforcement and government. His law enforcement education has been primarily in the area of domestic terrorism and cultural diversities. He currently serves on the Attorney General’s Counterterrorism Advisory Board” in Florida as well as heading the training for law enforcement on “Extremism Identification and Terrorism Prevention”. He was cross-sworn with Orange County Sheriff’s Office, in Counterterrorism Unit, Office of Intelligence from March 2003 to January 2009 and currently still serving with Longwood Police Department. Christopher was recently sworn in with the Government of the District of Columbia as a Commander with the Protective Services Police division in counterterrorism training, a former Special Agent with DHS/TSA, and an 1801 Aviation Security Inspector for TSA. Christopher currently serves on the Homeland Security Television Advisory Board and recently was brought on with Booz Allen Hamilton as an advisor in the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing compliance division. He speaks fluent French and Arabic. He was educated in Canada, the Middle East, and the United States.