About Ed  
Ed was born and raised in San Jose, California. He was a 1976 graduate of Willow Glen High School, were he served as Senior Class President. Ed received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he was cadet Squadron Commander of Cadet Squadron 35. Ed graduated in the class of 1980 as a distinguished military graduate, with a Bachelor of Science in Management.

Ed went to pilot training at Reese AFB, TX, Hurlburt Field, FL, and Patrick AFB, FL. After two years as a OV-10 Forward Air Controller in Germany during the Cold War years he returned to the States to train in the A-10 close air support ground attack fighter, nicknamed the Warthog. After graduating with Top Gun and Top Graduate honors, Ed flew for the 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron, part of the Flying Tigers, and later served as an A-10 Flight Instructor in the 333rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron in Tucson, Arizona. After leaving active duty in July 1989, Ed was hired by United Airlines. a year later he joined the California Air National Guard. In the months leading up to the Gulf War, Ed took military leave and headed to the Army’s helicopter training school in Fort Rutger, Alabama. And for the next few years flew the HH-60G Pavehawk combat air rescue helicopter. Altogether, Ed served over 22 years before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2004. He served in numerous management and leadership positions, including flight leader, instructor pilot, staff officer, and Unit Director, and earned a Master of Arts Degree in Management along the way.

Ed has been a pilot for United Airlines since 1989, where he has flown almost every jet in the inventory, and is currently a Captain on the Boeing 767/757. In early 2001 Ed was asked to take charge of the local pilot association’s Security Committee. The massive terrorist attacks of 9/11/01 Captain Folsom vowed to do everything in his power to protect the Country from another terrorist attack. Over the next 18 months Ed led a campaign to reform our Nation’s aviation security systems. After gaining local notoriety, Ed created a PAC called Citizens for Aviation Security, and was one of many leaders in the fight to arm airline pilots. The Federal Flight Deck Officer Program has now been in place for over 4 years, and there are thousands of pilots nationwide who have been selected, trained and credentialed as federal law enforcement officers with the specific duty to protect our Nation from a repeat of 9/11. Ed has served in a number of aviation security leadership roles for the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), most recently as the Chairman of the United Airlines MEC Security Committee, and Chairman of the ALPA Security Council, representing the interests of 40 carriers and 60,000 pilots nationwide. Ed also works with the Passenger Cargo Security Group (PCSG), and the Federal Flight Deck Officers Association (FFDOA) to further enhancements to aviation security. One of Ed's current projects is to build support for mandatory secondary barriers on all commercial and cargo airliners.

In 2006 Ed joined a team of aviation and business professionals to form Agile Defense LLC, a transportation-centric homeland security technology company. Agile Defense is currently under contract with the Navy to develop a counter-MANPADS defensive system. Agile Defense also has a mobile sensor technology that can be fitted on a custom small-scale UAV, or ground-based platforms to provide timely tactical surveillance and sensor capabilities.

At home in San Diego, Ed and Laura are busy with their three children: David (12), Jenny (10), and Sarah (6).