Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Inductee - Gordon S. Heddell
1997 Festus R-VI Hall of Fame Recipient
Gordon S. Heddell
Gordon S. Heddell personifies leadership, character, achievement, and service. His desire to serve others surfaced while Gordon was still in high school. At Festus High, Gordon involved himself in a variety of activities – football, basketball, track, vocal music, student council – and fulfilled a leadership role in many of them. After graduating from Festus High School in 1961, he continued his education at the University of Missouri-Columbia, earning a BA in Political Science, and at Sangamon State University, where he earned an MA in Legal Studies.
Gordon’s interest in being of service to his community and country continued with his service in the United States Army as a Chief Warrant Officer Aviator from 1966 to 1970. Then he was appointed special agent with the United States Secret Service in 1971. His excellence was shown by his graduating first in his Treasury Law Enforcement Training Academy class and by his continuing to receive outstanding annual performance ratings every year since then. During his tenure with the Secret Service, he has served on different Presidential commissions, as representative to the Central Intelligence Agency, and as Administrative Coordinator for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Heddell was appointed Deputy Assistant Director for the offices of Inspection and Training. In this capacity he brought about major changes in management, protective, and investigative training programs, implementing a new computer curriculum. He focused on cultural diversity, enriching the Secret Service by bringing in more minorities and women. He was instrumental in developing programs to improve reading and writing skills in English and foreign languages.
In 1991 Gordon was selected for the Senior Executive Service, progressing to become Special Agent in Charge of the Vice Presidential Protective Division in March of 1995. In that capacity, he directs all activities and programs aimed at protecting the Vice President and his family. He is in charge of security planning for all Vice Presidential foreign and domestic travel. He evaluates current threat levels and makes critical decisions regarding potential dangers to the Vice President, consulting daily with the Vice President as well as with senior members of the Presidential and Vice Presidential staffs.
In addition to his busy schedule of official duties serving the nation’s leaders, Gordon has contributed to the community by initiating active partnerships between the VPPD and two public schools in Washington, D.C. Through these partnerships, Heddell and his staff interact with students and faculty to show support and encouragement by giving security advice and participating in career days, sporting contests, fundraising, educational opportunities, and self-esteem and adolescent development activities. He speaks on high school and college campuses and to community groups and police organizations around the country.
Gordon’s devotion to his wife, Jana, and their children – Kerrie, Anthony, Gordon, and Katie; his unselfish giving of himself to help those in his community; his impeccable character; his unquestioned integrity and his unflagging devotion to the United States of America make him an excellent role model in his hometown and throughout the nation.