John A. Knebel | |
---|---|
19th United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
In office November 4, 1976 – January 20, 1977 | |
President | Gerald Ford |
Preceded by | Earl Butz |
Succeeded by | Robert Bergland |
Personal details | |
Born | Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | October 4, 1936
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Zenia Marks |
Education |
United States Military Academy (
BS) Creighton University ( MA) American University ( LLB) |
John Albert Knebel (born October 4, 1936) is a former United States government official who served as secretary of agriculture under President Gerald Ford. [1]
Knebel was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 4, 1936. He graduated from West Point in 1959 and received his Master's at Creighton University in 1962. [1] In 1965, he received his law degree from American University. [1] Between 1965 and 1968 he was engaged in private practice with the firm of Howrey, Simon, Baker and Murchison in Washington, DC. [1] He was a legislative assistant to Congressman J. Ernest Wharton in 1963 and 1964 and served as general counsel to the Small Business Administration during Nixon's second term. [1] He was also a member of the American, Federal, and District of Columbia Bar Association. [1] In March 1971, he became the General Counsel of the Small Business Administration, and in January 1973 he was appointed as General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture. [1] He was a partner in the law firm of Brownstein, Zeidman, Schomer and Chase from April until December 1975, when he was named the deputy secretary of agriculture. [1]
On November 4, 1976, Knebel was named secretary of agriculture by President Gerald Ford. [1] His period in this office was brief and ended January 20, 1977. [2] After that, he returned to law and as of 2003 [update] was still the president of the American Mining Congress. [2]
Knebel married Zenia Marks of New Jersey, with whom he has had three children. [1] He and his family resided in McLean, Virginia at the time on his appointment as secretary of agriculture in 1976. [1]