Bradley A. Buckles, Class of 1974, Named Director of U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

Bradley A. Buckles, Class of 1974, was appointed Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms by Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers on December 20, 1999. Mr. Buckles oversees the Bureau that is responsible for law enforcement and tax collection missions relating to alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives, and arson.

Mr. Buckles received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971 from the University of Wyoming and his Juris Doctor from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, in 1974. He is a member of the Kansas State Bar.

Dean James Concannon, of Washburn Law School, said he remembered teaching Buckles soon after Concannon joined the Washburn Law faculty full time in 1973.

"He actually was in one of the first classes I ever taught," Concannon said. "He certainly was a very good student when he was here, and I'm not at all surprised by his success."

Concannon said he last saw Buckles about three years ago. Concannon was in Washington, D.C., on other business when he visited Buckles' office. Buckles had just become the ATF's deputy director.

ATF has 331 field offices throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and several foreign countries and is responsible for enforcing the Federal laws and regulations relating to alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives, and arson. ATF agents, inspectors, and professional staff investigate some of the most violent crimes in society, as well as regulate many of the most sensitive industries of America, while collecting over $13 billion in annual revenue.

Compiled from press release and biographical information at the ATF website and a Topeka Capital Journal article, December 28, 1999, p. A-1.