Rotary learns about function of Secret Service

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Retired Secret Service Agent Pete Donald recently spoke to the Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties during their weekly meeting.  He spoke of his 35 year career in Federal Law Enforcement, including 27 years as a Secret Service agent including stories of his world travels along side Presidents Nixon, Ford, Bush and Carter.

Pete Donald was born in West Virginia, is married and has three children.  He is a graduate of Marshall University where he was a member of the golf team.  

He entered the Secret Service right out of college as there was a boom in hiring by the agency after the attempted assassination of Robert Kennedy in the 1970’s. The US Secret Service has two distinct areas of responsibility: treasury roles and protective roles.  Mr. Donald served in both areas during his career. He described his first day on the job when was sent to pick up a counterfeit $20 bill from a bank; remembering that he did not have his official credentials that day and had to go collect the money with a simple letter stating his credibility.  “Believe it or not, they gave me the $20 note!” Donald said.

Donald has worked the White House detail for many presidents and was assigned personal duty for George HW Bush and Gerald Ford. In the 1970’s, he was put in charge of signing out the individual tapes to reporters and investigators during the Watergate scandal. In 1976, he was assigned to former President Gerald Ford. Together they started a golf tournament in Vail, Colorado where Donald had the opportunity to play with many golfing greats including Jack Nicholas. In 1993 he was assigned to former President George HW Bush. He rode to work with him every day in Houston, Texas and also traveled with him to China. Donald says about his time with President Bush “He never said a bad word about anyone…except Ross Perot.”

Donald retired form the Secret Service in 1997 and took a job with FEMA internal investigations in Texas.  Currently, Donald is fully retired and lives in the Lake Oconee area.

For more information on The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties, please visit www.GreenePutnamRotary.org