On Wednesday, dozens of people attended a lunch in honor of Andrew Bland, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Houston office.


After two years on the high ranking job, and more than two decades with the FBI, Bland is turning in his badge to go to work in the private sector.
He told 2 on the Beat that he plans to work for a private San Antonio based security company.


Prior to being promoted to the SAC position in Houston, Bland served as the FBI’s legal attache in Baghdad, Iraq.
Meanwhile, the lunch party guest list read like a whose who of people in the law enforcement community.
Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt, who brought a city of Houston proclamation honoring Bland, retired FBI Special Agent in Charge Don Clark, Fort Bend County Constable Ruben Davis, Sheriff Adrian Garcia, Bob Doggium with the sheriff’s office, Katherine Cabaniss with Crimestoppers, along with former NBA great Calvin Murphy, and Bland’s family, including his wife and sons.


The FBI has not named a new Special Agent in Charge to replace Bland, whose last day on the job is Friday, May 29, 2009.