NASHVILLE — Governor Phil Bredesen today named Mark Gwyn as the new director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Gwyn, who currently serves as assistant director in charge of the TBI’s Forensic Services Division, will become the eighth director in the Bureau’s 53-year history. He succeeds Larry Wallace, who retired last year after serving as TBI director since 1992.
“Mark is a highly effective TBI veteran who understands the Bureau’s culture and who has a vision for constant improvement,” Bredesen said. “He has the highest commitment to working with federal and local law-enforcement agencies to stamp out crime in Tennessee , and he has the highest commitment to integrity.”
Gwyn will be sworn in as director on June 28 for a six-year term. He was selected from a field of three finalist candidates submitted by the TBI director nominating commission, a five-member panel consisting of representatives from the judicial and legal communities.
“I’m honored to join this long line of distinguished directors,” Gwyn said. “I’m a firm believer in the TBI’s mission and ability to combat crime across the state. I’m looking forward to working with federal and local law-enforcement authorities to coordinate our efforts. And I’m looking forward to working with the TBI’s dedicated workforce to improve our performance.”
In his new role as director, Gwyn will oversee the TBI’s five major divisions: Criminal Investigation, Drug Investigation, Forensic Services, Information Systems and Administrative Services. The Bureau, which has a total of 424 employees, is headquartered in Nashville and operates six regional offices across the state.
As the TBI’s assistant director in charge of forensic services, Gwyn currently oversees the Bureau’s three nationally accredited crime laboratories in Knoxville , Memphis and Nashville and supervises more than 100 forensic scientists and technicians. The state-of-the-art labs perform a wide range of analyses, including toxicology, DNA profiling and firearms identification. He has served as assistant director managing the labs since 2001.
Before that, Gwyn served as an executive officer from 1996 to 2001. Among other responsibilities, he handled special assignments and investigations and helped provide security for the Tennessee Supreme Court. From 1988 to 1996, Gwyn served as a special agent and criminal investigator helping coordinate investigations into violent crime, drug and gambling cases. Before joining the TBI, Gwyn served as a patrolman for the McMinnville Police Department.
Gwyn, 41, is a McMinnville native who holds a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University . He is a 1999 graduate of the Tennessee Government Executive Institute, a 1998 graduate of the FBI National Academy and a 1990 graduate of the TBI’s Criminal Investigation Academy