U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral (RET) J. Timothy Riker was born and reared in Lima, Ohio.
RADM Riker enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1970, was commissioned at Officer Candidate School in 1971, and served aboard two cutters while on active duty: CGC Hamilton (WHEC 715) and CGC Unimak (WTR 379). As a Reservist, he was recalled to active duty for overseas assignments in Operations Desert Storm (N-5, Harbor Defense Command, Manama, Bahrain) and Uphold Democracy (Commanding Officer, Port Security Unit 301, Cap Haitien, Haiti). Other extended active duty assignments included duties as Chief, Defense Operations Division, Office of Operations and Law Enforcement, and as Director of Reserve, both tours at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C. In 2000, RADM Riker retired as Senior Member of the Coast Guard Reserve. In 2001, he was returned to active status to perform an extensive study of pilotage issues on the Great Lakes.
In 2006, he was recalled from retirement and assigned as Director, Commissioning Cell, Deployable Operations Group (DOG), then as Deputy Director of Coast Guard Intelligence and Criminal Investigations (CG-2), and finally as Director of Response Policy (CG-53). During this period he also served as Senior Member, Maritime Enforcement Specialist Rating Implementation Team; Senior Member CG Publication One Editorial Board; and Senior Member, CG Regulations Change 3 Revision and Update Team. He returned to retired status in 2010.
RADM Riker’s personal awards include the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Star, Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars, Meritorious Service Medal with Operational Distinguishing Device and Gold Star, and various other decorations, campaign ribbons, and devices.
He graduated from Baldwin-Wallace University (Berea, Ohio – 1970) with degrees in history and government before attending Capital University Law School (Columbus, Ohio – 1977). He established his law practice in Cincinnati in 1979, and continues to actively practice.
RADM Riker is also a Baldwin-Wallace University Alumni Merit Award recipient. His professional life has included community activities. Among these was service as Secretary, Greater Cincinnati Bicentennial Commission, and as Chief of Operations/General Counsel for U.S. Congressman David S. Mann (OH - 1st Dist).
RADM Riker’s family includes his wife Miriam, two daughters – Katharine and Alison, son-in-law SSGT Steven Peterson, USMC, and three grandchildren: Jazmine, Shawn, and Jaxson. He practices law with Katharine. Meanwhile, Alison and her family are on assignment overseas in an East African nation.