Elmer Román
28th Secretary of State of Puerto Rico
In office
December 20, 2019 – August 20, 2020
GovernorWanda Vázquez Garced
Preceded byMaría Marcano de León (Acting)
Succeeded byRaúl Márquez Hernández
2nd Secretary of Public Safety of Puerto Rico
In office
April 9, 2019 – December 20, 2019
GovernorRicardo Rosselló
Wanda Vázquez Garced
Preceded byHéctor M. Pesquera
Succeeded byPedro Janer
Personal details
BornYauco, Puerto Rico
Political partyNew Progressive
Other political
affiliations		Republican
EducationUniversity of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (BE)
Virginia Tech (ME)
Colorado Technical University
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
 United States Navy
Rank Captain
UnitUnited States Marine Corps Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
Battles/warsIraq War

Elmer L. Román is a former Puerto Rican government official who served as the 26th Secretary of State of Puerto Rico from December 2019 till August 2020, which included the role of Lieutenant Governor, after being designated by Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced.[1][2] He was previously appointed as the 2nd Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety on April 9, 2019, succeeding Héctor Pesquera.[3][4] On August 20, 2020, Román resigned to the post of Secretary of State, allegedly to return to his former workplace, The Pentagon, where he worked as Director of the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) and team leader for Mission Integration in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.[5][6][7][8]

Román was born in Yauco, Puerto Rico. He completed a bachelor's in mechanical engineering at University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and a master's in systems engineering at Virginia Tech. He completed executive development courses at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and is currently completing a doctor of administration at Colorado Technical University.[3]

Román is currently a candidate for Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in the 2024 Puerto Rican Elections.[9]

Military career

Román became a member of the Civil Air Patrol where he earned the General Carl A Spaatz Award, the highest award in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program. He went on to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island to begin his military career in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Went on as a Platoon Sergeant, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. Went on to graduate from the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School at Marine Corps Base Quantico. He transitioned to the United States Navy Reserve as an Engineering Duty Officer. Served as Director, Joint Capability Technology Demonstration and Commanding Officer, NR NAVSEA Supervisor of Salvage and Diving Unit. These include the heavy lift operations of the destroyers at USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62). In 2009 he participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Other military positions he held include one with the Office of Naval Research as Regional Director, at the United States Embassy in Santiago, Chile. Among his military awards are the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal[3] He is currently a Captain in the US Navy Reserve.

References

  1. ↑ "¿Quién es Raúl Márquez Hernández, el designado secretario de Estado?". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  2. ↑ Díaz Rolón, Ayeza (December 20, 2019). "Elmer Román Designated as Secretary of State". The Weekly Journal. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "¿Quién es Elmer Román, el designado a dirigir el Departamento de Seguridad Pública?". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). April 9, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  4. ↑ Cortés Chico, Ricardo (April 10, 2019). "Elmer Román hopes to speed up integration". El Nuevo Dia. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  5. ↑ Álvarez, Yennifer (August 20, 2020). "Se va Elmer Román para el Pentágono" [Elmer Roman Leaves for the Pentagon]. Jay Fonseca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Informan sobre supuesta renuncia del secretario de Estado" [Report on Alleged Resignation of the Secretary of State]. La Perla del Sur (in Spanish). August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  7. ↑ Flores-García, Elián (August 20, 2020). "Renuncia el secretario de Estado, Elmer Román" [Secretary of State Elmer Román Resigns]. Periódico El Sol de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Renuncia el secretario de Estado, Elmer Román" [Secretary of State Elmer Román Resigns]. Telemundo Puerto Rico (in Spanish). August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Elmer Román es certificado por el PNP como precandidato a comisionado residente". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2024.


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