Charlie Summers, Jr. was elected in December of 2010 to serve as Maine’s 48th Secretary of State. He has served in public office at various levels and capacities for both state and federal government including two terms in the Maine State Senate; 9 years as State Director to Senator Olympia Snowe; and in 2005, he was appointed by President Bush to serve as the New England Regional Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Mr. Summers is also a Commander in the United States Navy Reserve currently assigned to the Public Affairs staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey. From October 2009 to October 2010 he served on active duty on the staff of the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. During this time period he completed a temporary assignment as a member of Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan (CFSOCC-A). In July 2007, Commander Summers was recalled to active duty and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was activated after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks serving on the staff of former Secretary of the Navy Gordon England. A Public Affairs Officer, he has served in the Navy Reserve since 1996.
His military decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, United States Army Combat Action Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), The Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal and various other service awards.
Mr. Summers is a resident of Scarborough, Maine where he lives with his wife and three children.