Brigham McCown
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Brigham A. McCown is a Principal in the Winstead PC law firm where he is involved in the firm's Litigation and Government Relations sections.
Mr. McCown previously served as the first Acting Administrator (Interim CEO) and first full-time Deputy Administrator (COO) of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation. He was appointed to that position in the Bush Administration on June 27, 2005. During his tenure Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta dispatched Mr. McCown to the Gulf Coast where he presided over the restoration of critical national energy infrastructure in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Mr. McCown was also responsible for the federal response in March of 2006 when BP spilled over 270,000 barrels of oil, making it the largest oil spill on Alaska North Slope history. For his efforts Mr. McCown was awarded the Department's highest award by current Secretary Mary Peters in November of 2006.
PHMSA is the federal agency charged with the safe and secure movement of almost 1 million daily shipments of hazardous materials by all modes of transportation. The agency also overseas the nation's pipeline infrastructure which accounts for 64 percent of the energy commodities consumed in the United States.
Before that Mr. McCown served as the first Chief Counsel (General Counsel) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) where he was responsible for oversight of legal and legislative issues involving the commercial motor carrier, motor coach and moving industries. During this time, he oversaw numerous legal challenges to the new agency, including the landmark U.S. Supreme Court environmental case of U.S. DOT v. Public Citizen et al., 541 U.S. 752, 124 S.Ct. 2204 (2004). During his tenure, he also oversaw numerous controversial issues including significant regulatory changes to the agency's Hours-of-Service and civil penalty enforcement regulations.
Prior to joining the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2003, McCown was a member of Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C., a Dallas-based law firm where he specialized in transportation, construction, energy, and public law issues.
In addition to his legal positions, McCown is also a Naval Aviator and commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy. During his two decades of of active and reserve duty, he has gained experience in tactical, strategic, management, and technical issues throughout his career. He also served in Operation Desert Storm, Haiti's Operation Support Democracy, counter-narcotics operations, and most recently in Operation Unified Assistance during tsunami relief operations in Southeast Asia.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in diplomacy and foreign affairs from Miami University in 1988, and a law degree from Northern Kentucky University in 1997.
