WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of the Treasury has announced theappointment of W. Ralph Basham as the 21st Director of the United States Secret Service,the nation's oldest investigative federal law enforcement agency. Basham is a 28-yearveteran of the Secret Service and has also served as Director of the Federal LawEnforcement Training Center and Chief of Staff at the newly created TransportationSecurity Administration.
"Mr. Basham has had a long and distinguished career in federal law enforcement and Iam pleased that he has agreed to take on this challenging assignment," said Acting
Treasury Secretary Kenneth W. Dam.
"Ralph Basham is a dedicated public servant and a proven leader," said HomelandSecurity Secretary-designate Tom Ridge. "The experience he has gained in 33 years ofgovernment service will be critical in leading the Secret Service as it becomes part of theDepartment of Homeland Security. I look forward to working with him."
Mr. Basham returns to the Secret Service at a truly historic time. On Nov. 25,2002, legislation was signed into law transferring the agency from the Department of theTreasury, where it was founded in 1865, to the new Department of Homeland Security.
Both the President and the Congress have recognized the invaluable contributions theSecret Service has made to the defense of Americas homeland. The central role the
Secret Service has within the new department provides the agency with a platform tocontinue its excellence in protecting the nations highest elected leaders and preserving
the integrity of our financial and critical infrastructures.
"On behalf of the Secret Service, we are extremely pleased with the selection of RalphBasham as our 21st Director," said Brian L. Stafford, the current Secret Service director."This appointment continues the tradition of selecting a Director from within the SecretService family. His 28 years with the agency, and subsequent experience with theFederal Law Enforcement Training Center and the Transportation SecurityAdministration, will be essential to this agency as we transition into the new Departmentof Homeland Security."
Mr. Basham's career with the Secret Service began in 1970 when he was appointed as aSpecial Agent in the Washington Field Office. Subsequent assignments included duty in
a number of Washington, D.C. based divisions, as well as the Cleveland and LouisvilleField Offices. He served as Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Field Office, the
Washington Field Office and the Vice Presidential Protective Division. Basham alsoserved as the Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Training and as Assistant
Director of the Office of Administration.
In January 1998, Mr. Basham was appointed Director of the Federal Law EnforcementTraining Center (FLETC). The center, located in Glynco, Georgia and Artesia, New
Mexico, provides training for nearly all of the nation's federal law enforcement officers,including Secret Service recruits. The FLETC also serves the state, local and federal law
enforcement communities with training programs tailored to their specific needs.
Since January 2002, Mr. Basham has served as Chief of Staff for the TransportationSecurity Administration (TSA). Among his responsibilities at TSA, Mr. Basham
oversaw the hiring of federal security directors for the nation's 429 airports.
A native of Owensboro, Kentucky, Basham received a Bachelor's Degree fromSoutheastern University in Washington, D.C. He is married to the former Judith O'Bryanand has three children.
Basham succeeds Director Brian L. Stafford, who will retire on Jan. 24, 2003.
Source: U.S. Secret Service