Boerne’s White to head state cyber command

AUSTIN – Timothy James “T.J.” White has been appointed chief of the Texas Cyber Command for a term set to expire Feb. 1, 2027. The Texas Cyber Command was created to leverage the cybersecurity expertise and resources of state, local, and federal partners to protect Texas from cyber threats.

White, of Boerne, is a retired vice admiral in the U.S. Navy and founder of OneNetwork-Connection LLC. He is a Professor-of-Practice at the Naval Postgraduate School, affiliated with the Military Cyber Professionals Association and the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, and a trustee of the Southwest Research Institute.

Gov. Greg Abbott made the announcement of White’s appointment on Tuesday in Austin.

“Our state is under constant attack by cyber criminals, attacks that occur thousands of times every single second of every single day,” Abbott said. “Texas needs strong cybersecurity experts to lead our fight against these attacks, often from hostile foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran.”

Joining the Navy in 1983 from Spring, Texas, White was honorably discharged in 2020 after 37 years of service. During his time in the Navy, he served as the commander, United States Fleet Cyber Command/ United States Tenth Fleet/ United States Navy Space Command and previously as the commander, U.S. Cyber National Mission Force.

Abott praised White’s years of service to the country, and his dedication to cybersecurity.

“Admiral White’s decades of honorable military service to our country combined with his cybersecurity expertise makes him the leader we need at the helm of the Texas Cyber Command,” the governor said. “Admiral White and the Texas Cyber Command will serve as essential assets to prevent and protect against cyber breaches to keep Texans safe.”

White received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United States Naval Academy, a master’s degree in systems technology from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a master’s degree in strategic resource management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

In Abbott’s 2025 State of the State Address, he made the establishment of the Texas Cyber Command an emergency item for the 89th Legislative session, which he signed into law in June.