Earl Morris is the new director of security at BYU–Hawaii, replacing Roy Yamamoto who recently retired after serving the BYU–Hawaii campus in security for nine years.
Morris comes to the university with extensive experience in security, forensics, and special operations. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Weber State University and a master’s degree in Economics and Human Resource Management from Utah State University. He then went on to graduate from the Utah Police Academy and later the FBI Academy. After 23 years in the Utah Department of Public Safety as the colonel of the Highway Patrol and the deputy commissioner of Law Enforcement, he joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a Federal Security Director and eventually became the Deputy Assistant Administrator over security for all U.S. airports. Morris’ most recent assignment has been assisting U.S. and foreign governments with crime and security issues throughout the world, primarily in Latin America.
After visiting Hawaii numerous times over the last 25 years, he has come to love the islands and the culture. “The opportunity to work for BYU–Hawaii is truly a dream come true for us,” said Morris. “We hope to use our collective experience of the past 35 years to enhance an already fantastic environment and to take advantage of the quality of life encountered on the North Shore. We look forward to integrating into the community, the Church, and the campus environment.”
Morris and his wife Darlene have four children, the youngest currently serving a mission in Guatemala, and five grandchildren.