He wasn’t the secretary but
“From 1969 to 1974 Mr. Volcker served as under-secretary of the Treasury for international monetary affairs. He played an important role in the decisions leading to the U.S. suspension of gold convertibility in 1971, which resulted in the collapse of the Bretton Woods system. In general he acted as a moderating influence on policy, advocating the pursuit of an international solution to monetary problems. After leaving the U.S. Treasury, he became president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 1975 to 1979, leaving to become the chairman of the Federal Reserve in August 1979.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Volcker
Keep reading Wikipedia. Most of it is accurate. And if you don’t have access to the web, read books. Books are good for you. Reading is fun-damental!