Ken Walther retired from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after a 27 year career where he worked as a Technical Operations Officer. During that time he spent most of his career serving on foreign assignments on five continents and in dozens of countries. Ken served primarily under the Directorate of Science and Technology, a group that developed many of the technical "gadgets" used in the collection of intelligence. Prior to the Agency he served four years (1964 – 1968) in the Army Security Agency (ASA) with three years in Southeast Asia involved with tactical SIGINT collection.
During his career with the CIA, Mr. Walther spent seventeen years serving on overseas assignments and his work led him live in seven International capitols and to visit and work in 102 countries. Including Military service, a total of twenty years was spent overseas in which he experienced a variety of cultures, languages and learned how to work with a variety of people. Living for extended periods of time in Asia, Africa, Central and South America and Europe were building blocks that provided insight into people that could not come from purely academic study. His insight into the true meaning of the "Human Condition" has helped in conducting successful operations that saved lives or improved the conditions in diverse environs.
His mission was to conduct intelligence operations toward a host of objectives, to include Counter-Terrorism, Counter-Espionage, Counter-Narcotics, Counter-Intelligence, and Arms Interdiction. Mr. Walther’s background was primarily in Electronics and Optics Technology. Applying these skills, especially in what are called Denied Areas, was challenging. During his travels and assignments Mr. Walther studied Spanish and French, which he speaks with moderate fluency, and has survival language capabilities in Mandarin, Korean, Thai, Swedish and German.
Prior to retirement Mr. Walther was certified as a Senior Instructor at the CIA’s clandestine training facility working for the Office of Training and Education. Students included both Agency recruits and personnel from the Defense Intelligence Agency. At retirement, in 1996, the Agency allowed Mr. Walther to retire “open” and his cover was rolled back. He was allowed to accept awards that had been previously locked away because of his cover status. He was awarded the Intelligence Medal of Merit for conducting operations of high national security value as well as the Career Intelligence Medal. He also had numerous certificates from the Department of State, DOD, and DIA.
Upon retirement Ken and his wife Lena moved to Las Vegas in 1997, and co-founded the first laser company to manufacture and commercialize engraving 3-D images inside pure crystal materials, without disturbing the surfaces, known as “sub-surface engraving”. The product became ubiquitous over the next few years. These 3-D crystal products are both Objets d’art as well as corporate promotional products.
Since retirement Ken has focused on entrepreneurial projects and is the co-founder and Director of a private consulting company founded in 1996, dealing with security and technical problem solving. In the years since retiring from Federal Service, Ken has devoted his time to activities having an impact on bettering the lives of people through technology. In mid-2014 Ken & his spouse, Lena, founded a new 501(c)3 “Awareness is Prevention” in an effort to mitigate Human Trafficking including Sex-Trafficking. He has decades of experience in working as Liaison Intelligence services and will contribute to coordinating and planning with Law Enforcement agencies and NGO groups. Ken has experience in collecting human intelligence ranging from Cartels to Refugee camps. Most recently, Ken has begun consulting with the Medical Marijuana Industry in Nevada to ensure that the derivative medicinal products are grown safely, securely and lawfully to provide new medical alternatives