The Secret Service’s new acting interim director, Joseph Clancy, served as head of the agency’s presidential protection division until 2011, when he retired and became director of corporate security for Comcast. He was named to the Secret Service post Wednesday after the resignation of Julia Pierson.

At Comcast, Clancy was responsible for protecting employees and assets, corporate investigations and assisting with policy development, according to his biography from the company.

“During more than three years at Comcast, he was an integral part of our security team and we are sad to see him leave,” the cable company said in a statement. “We are highly confident he will be an outstanding interim leader for the Secret Service and we wish him the very best.”



File: Joseph Clancy, the new interim Secret Service director, holds the door open for President Obama during a visit to the Vatican in 2009. Gregorio Borgia/AP (Gregorio Borgia)

In his previous run with the Secret Service, Clancy served as director of National Special Security Events and led a team of agents that conducted major investigations at the agency’s New York field office.

David Axelrod, a former White House senior adviser under President Obama, tweeted on Wednesday: “I knew Joe Clancy when he led the presidential detail. You could not find a better person to repair the Secret Service.”

I knew Joe Clancy when he led the presidential detail. You could not find a better person to repair the Secret Service. — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) October 1, 2014

Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said in a statement that Clancy is a “solid professional to the core.”

“Joe is an honorable, battle-tested leader, and I expect his level of commitment and professionalism will have a positive contagion impact on the workforce,” Adler said.

According to his Comcast bio, Clancy attended West Point and graduated from Villanova University in the Philadelphia area, where he lives.

* Joe Davidson contributed to this report