Senior Vice President, Security
National Basketball Association
Bernard Tolbert, a 20-year veteran of the FBI, oversees all aspects of league security, including the protection of NBA players, fans, teams, employees and facilities – domestically or internationally. He joined the league in 2002.

Prior to joining the NBA, Tolbert was Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Security for HSBC Bank, USA.

Following his retirement from the FBI in 2001, Tolbert worked as a Security Manager for the Coca-Cola Company.

In 1998, Tolbert was appointed as the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Division. In 1997, he was promoted and assigned as an Inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters (FBIHQ). In 1992, he was appointed to the position of Assistant Special Agent in charge of the bureau’s Philadelphia Office.

In 1990, Tolbert was reassigned as Chief of the Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Training Unit at FBIHQ. In 1987, Tolbert was transferred to the FBI’s Buffalo Division, where he supervised all Foreign Counterintelligence, Counterterrorism and Civil Rights investigations in the western New York area. In 1985, he was transferred to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Intelligence Division. In 1980, Tolbert began duty as a Special Agent in the FBI, and served in the Buffalo and New York City offices.

Tolbert has received many awards, including the Black Achievers in Industry Award on two separate occasions; the Heroes of Public Housing Award; and the Ebony and Ivory Award. In 2001, he was the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Achievement as one of the U.S. government’s top Senior Executives, an honor bestowed upon him by the White House. In 1998, he was elected to the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his success as a track athlete.

Much of Tolbert’s free time is spent in activities for children with special needs. For the past 48 years, he has been involved with Cradle Beach, a resident summer camp that serves more than 800 campers in the western New York area who have a broad range of developmental disabilities.

Tolbert serves on a number of community boards, including those of Western New York Public Broadcasting, the University of Buffalo Alumni Association and the 100 Club of Buffalo and Western New York. He is also a Trustee of the Statler Foundation and serves as Chairman of that board.

Mr. Tolbert is married and has three children.