Bernie Tolbert, National Basketball Association
Bernie Tolbert is a Senior Vice President in the National Basketball Association where he is responsible for the security of all League operations including arenas, players, staff and fans. In addition, the NBA has offices in ten countries around the world and Bernie Tolbert is responsible for the security of those offices.
Bernie was born in Buffalo, New York, where he received his early education in the Buffalo Public School System. Upon graduating from high school, Bernie attended the State University of New York at Buffalo where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1971 and a Master’s Degree in Social Work in 1973. Following a short stint as a high school teacher, Bernie worked in several human service agencies including five years as a program director in a large, private family-counseling agency.
In January 1980, he entered on duty as a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Following sixteen weeks of training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, Bernie served in the Buffalo and New York City Offices. In June 1985, he was transferred to FBI Headquarters, Washington, D.C., as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Intelligence Division. In March 1987, Bernie was transferred back to the Buffalo Division, where he supervised all Foreign Counterintelligence, Counterterrorism and Civil Rights investigations in the Western New York area. In November 1990, Bernie was reassigned as Chief of the Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Training Unit at FBI Headquarters until October 1992, when he was appointed to the position of Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Office. In January 1997, Bernie was promoted and assigned as an Inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters. On May 5, 1998, he was appointed as the Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Division. He retired from the FBI in March 2001, and worked as a Security Manager for the Coca-Cola Company and prior to coming to the NBA, was Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Security for HSBC Bank.
Bernie has been the recipient of many awards, including the Black Achievers in Industry Award, the Heroes of Public Housing Award and the Ebony and Ivory Award. In June of 2001, Bernie was the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Achievement as one of the U.S. Government’s top Senior Executive, an honor bestowed upon him by the White House. In 1998, he was elected to his college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his success as a track athlete. Bernie enjoys a wide range of sporting activities. He is an avid Buffalo Bills fan and has been a season ticket holder for many years.
Much of his free time is spent in activities for children with special needs. For the past 43 years, he has been involved with Cradle Beach – a resident summer camp that serves over 800 campers in the Western New York area who have a broad range of physical, emotional and social developmental disabilities. He has been a Little League baseball, basketball and soccer coach as well as an umpire and a referee. He serves on a number of community boards, some of which include the United Way, Western New York Public Broadcasting, Erie County Youth Board, Medaille College, University of Buffalo Alumni Association and the 100 Club of Buffalo and Western New York.
Mr. Tolbert is the father of three children.
