General Joseph L. Votel is a retired US Army Four-Star officer and the former Commander of the US Central Command — responsible for US and coalition military operations in the Middle East, Levant, and Central and South Asia. During his 39 years in the military, he commanded special operations and conventional military forces at every level. His career included combat in Panama, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Notably, he led a 79-member coalition that successfully liberated Iraq and Syria from the Islamic State Caliphate. He preceded his assignment at CENTCOM with service as the Commander of US Special Operations Command and the Joint Special Operations Command.

Following his retirement from military service, General Votel served as the President and CEO of Business Executives for National Security (BENS). He is member of the Board of Trustees of Noblis Corporation and a Strategic Advisor for Sierra Nevada Corporation. Votel is a Board Director with Minnesota Wire, DC Capital Partners, Helix Decision Science, and a member of the Government Advisory Board for Insight Partners. He is a non-resident Distinguished Fellow at the Middle East Institute and the Distinguished Chair of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.

General Votel is a member the Executive Boards at Freedom House and the UPenn Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL). He is a current member of the Defense Business Board and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Votel was recognized with the Distinguished Military Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council, the US–Arab Defense Leadership Award from the National Council on US-Arab Relations, the Patriot Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the SGT James T. Regan Lifetime Achievement Award from the “Lead the Way” Foundation, and the Freedom Award from the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum.

Votel is a 1980 graduate of the United States Military Academy and earned master’s degrees from the US Army Command and Staff College and the Army War College. He is married to Michele, and they have two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. The Votels reside in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.