William Hedgcock Webster (March 6, 1924 – August 8, 2025) was an American attorney and jurist who served as chair of the Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2005 until 2020. He was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit before serving as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1978 to 1987 and director of Central Intelligence (CIA) from 1987 to 1991. He is the only person to have held both positions.
William Hedgcock Webster
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
Born 1924 in St. Louis, MO
Died 2025 in Warrenton, VA
FJC ID: 2531
- Gender
- Male
- Race
- White
Prior employment
- Homeland Security Advisory CouncilChair · 2005–2020
- Private practice, Washington, D.C.1991–2005
Central Intelligence AgencyDirector · 1987–1991
Federal Bureau of InvestigationDirector · 1978–1987- Private practice, St. Louis, Missouri1949–1950, 1952–1959, 1961–1970
U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri1960–1961- U.S. Naval Reserve1943–1946, 1950–1952
- ↳lieutenant junior grade · 1943–1946
- ↳lieutenant · 1950–1952
Appointments
1973–1978 · Appointed by Richard M. Nixon (Republican)Term ended: Resignation
1970–1973 · Appointed by Richard M. Nixon (Republican)Term ended: Appointment to Another Judicial Position
Education
- Washington University School of LawJ.D. · 1949
- Amherst CollegeA.B. · 1947