Captain Mike Kahle joined the USF team as Director of FIO in November, 2025, after more than 25 years of service in the US Coast Guard (USCG).  Most recently, he served as Commander (i.e. CEO) of US Coast Guard forces across Florida’s west coast which comprised of 2,700 Active Duty, Reserve, Civilian, and Auxiliary personnel. 

Captain Kahle was the Senior Federal Executive responsible for all maritime law enforcement, port security, maritime search and rescue, US maritime border security, and regulation of foreign and domestic maritime commerce across the Florida’s Gulf Coast and offshore approaches. Other notable career accomplishments include service as a Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow and a senior advisor to the Commandant of the Coast Guard. 

Captain Kahle holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of California Santa Barbara and a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University. Additionally, Captain Kahle is a graduate of the US Navy Dive School, the Coast Guard Maritime Law Enforcement Academy, and holds numerous FEMA Incident Command System certifications.