John William Magaw (born 1935) is a former
administrator for the
United States Federal Government
The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fe ...
. He received a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...
degree
Degree may refer to:
As a unit of measurement
* Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement
** Degree of geographical latitude
** Degree of geographical longitude
* Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathematics
...
in
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
from
Otterbein College
Otterbein University is a private university in Westerville, Ohio. It offers 74 majors and 44 minors as well as eight graduate programs. The university was founded in 1847 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and named for United Bre ...
, in
Westerville, Ohio
Westerville is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, Franklin and Delaware County, Ohio, Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. A northeastern suburb of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, the population was 39,190 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...
in 1957.
He began his career in public service in 1959 as a
state trooper with the
Ohio State Highway Patrol
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and has the primary responsibility of traffic enforcement in the state of Ohio.
Divisions
Operationally, the Patrol is divided into units whose varying tasks co ...
.
Magaw became a special agent with the
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
in 1967. While he was at the Secret Service he served as deputy special agent in charge of the
Vice Presidential protective division and head of the Washington field office. By 1992, Magaw was in charge of all protective operations for the President and First family. Magaw was
Director of the United States Secret Service
The director of the United States Secret Service is the head of the United States Secret Service, and responsible for the day-to-day operations.
The Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department ...
from 1992 to 1993.
The
Waco siege
The Waco siege, also known as the Waco massacre, was the law enforcement siege of the compound that belonged to the religious sect Branch Davidians. It was carried out by the U.S. federal government, Texas state law enforcement, and the U.S. ...
in 1993 did not reflect well on the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). After an investigation,
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
purged its senior leadership and appointed Magaw as its fourth director. Morale in the agency improved during his tenure from 1993 to 1999.
[
Magaw was appointed senior advisor to the director of the ]Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...
(FEMA) for terrorism preparedness in December 1999. In that role, he planned and coordinated FEMA's domestic terrorism preparedness efforts. He later served as acting director from January 20, 2001, to February 15, 2001. After Joe Allbaugh
Joe M. Allbaugh (born July 27, 1952) is an American political figure in the Republican Party. After spending most of his career in Oklahoma and Texas, Allbaugh came to national prominence working for Texas governor George W. Bush and helping mana ...
's confirmation to FEMA director, Magaw held other positions within FEMA.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation
The United States secretary of transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to transportation. The secre ...
Norman Mineta
Norman Yoshio Mineta ( ja, 峯田 良雄, November 12, 1931 – May 3, 2022) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Mineta served in the United States Cabinet for Presidents Bill Clinton, a Democrat, and George W. Bush, a ...
, and his deputy, chose Magaw to stand up the new Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within, and connecting to the United States. It was created ...
, for his law enforcement experience and successful leadership of ATF. President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
agreed, and in January 2002 the U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
confirmed Magaw as Under Secretary of Transportation Security. He oversaw the initial standup of the TSA. His tough approach to airport security produced long lines and inconvenience for travelers, angering stakeholders. Not allowing pilots to arm themselves also sparked controversy. He didn't cultivate his public image, nor tend to relations with the U.S. Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washin ...
. He left TSA in June 2002, with former United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
Admiral James Loy
James Milton Loy (born August 10, 1942) is a retired admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security in 2005 and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) from November 4, 2003, to Ma ...
replacing him. Magaw lasted six months at TSA; his successor lasted ten months.
Magaw received the Presidential Rank Meritorious Award in 1991 and 1999, as well as the Presidential Rank Distinguished Award in 1995.
, Magaw is a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council The Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. It was created by an Executive Order
In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the Unite ...
.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Magaw, John
1935 births
Living people
American state police officers
ATF agents
Clinton administration personnel
Directors of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Directors of the United States Secret Service
Federal Emergency Management Agency officials
George H. W. Bush administration personnel
George W. Bush administration personnel
Ohio State Highway Patrol
Otterbein University alumni
People from Columbus, Ohio
Transportation Security Administration officials
United States Department of Transportation officials
United States Secret Service agents