[1] He attended Mount Union College, in Alliance, Ohio, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration, and an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters.

Prior to his induction into the Secret Service, Stafford served in the United States Army.

Stafford protected Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

He was also responsible for supervising several National Special Security Events including the 2002 Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl XXXVI.

Stafford serves as and advisor to McKinley Capital Management (formerly a Director);[4] HandySoft Global Solutions, and Intific.