John A. Knebel

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 was still the president of the American Mining Congress.[2]