MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION

Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, formally recognized USACE organizations for their contributions in support of the Small Business Program during the SAME USACE Small Business Awards Ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia. MVD is the recipient of two awards. The Division was recognized for outstanding achievement in the HUBZone program, which promotes economic development in distressed areas. The Division also received the Aspiration Award for work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The conference was held in November. Pictured left to right are: Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, Marlan Snodgrass, MVD’s Assistant Director for Small Business Programs, and Maj. Gen. Michael Wehr. . Photo by David Gray

Maj. Gen. Wehr pulled his commanders and senior leaders together for the regional summit meeting (R5) in Vicksburg in November to foster ways to work more effectively as a regional team to solve difficult challenges. The leaders developed a list of focus areas for FY 17 which include the following: Strengthen the Foundation (Doing the routine things to an exceptionally high standard, routinely.) Deliver the Program (The most strategic thing we can do is deliver our mission…keep our promises.) Achieve our Vision (Leading ourselves into an unknowable future…together. Our compelling, better tomorrow.) Pictured left to right are: Col. Mike Clancy, Col. Mike Derosier, Col. Mike Ellicott, Maj. Gen. Mike Wehr, Col. Anthony Mitchell, Col. Craig Baumgartner and Col. Sam. Calkins signing the FY17 Regional Focus poster.

Lt. Col. Juan Mejia, St. Louis District Deputy District engineer presented Capt. Joel Groves, Project engineer with the St. Louis District, an award for his leadership and dedication in mentoring U.S. Army Cadets and ROTC students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Lt. Col. Mejia presented the award n behalf of Mississippi Valley Division Commander Maj. Gen. Michael Wehr, in November. STEM education plays a critical role in supporting the Defense Department and the Army in the security of the Nation and enables the United States to remain an economic and technological leader. STEM fields are growing rapidly: the U.S. expects 2.8 million STEM job openings by 2020 based on growth and retirements.

Karen Durham-Aguilera, P.E., director of Contingency Operations and Office of Homeland Security, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters met with Jennifer Moehlman, Emergency Management specialist with the St. Louis District recently in Baton Rouge, LA. Jennifer received a Commander’s Coin for Excellence for her ongoing work in support of FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency's temporary housing mission in Louisiana where she is assisting in the training of new contractors and FEMA personnel on inspecting the installation of trailers.This is her second deployment of the year in support of the LA flooding recovery efforts.

The sun shines beautifully over the Mississippi River!

MVD Civil Engineer Carl Pigott received a one star note of appreciation from Brigadier General Scott A. Spellmon. Major General Wehr presented the award to Pigott on behalf of Spellmon at MVD division headquarters in October. Pigott is recognized for his work as an evaluator and hotwash facilitator during the Cascadia Rising 2016 Functional Exercise in June. Brigadier General Spellmon commended Pigott for helping the Northwestern Division to be better prepared for catastrophic emergencies. Pigott is an engineer in MVD Readiness and Contingency Operations.

Miss Mississippi, Laura Lee Lewis, visited MVD late September. Lewis is from Brookhaven, Mississippi. She was crowned in Vicksburg, Mississippi in July. Picture here left to right are: Patti Beard, Executive Secretary MVD, Chuck Camillo, Executive Director, Mississippi River Commission, Miss Mississippi, Laura Lee Lewis, and Edie Wittington MRC Administrative Officer.

During the SAME Small Business Conference in November, District Commanders and MVD employees gathered to share the Division’s small business success stories and award winning programs. Pictured left to right are: MVN Small Business Specialist David Willis, MVN Small Business Chief Michael Bloom, MVN Commander Col. Mike Clancy, MVN Contracting Chief, Eileen Darby, MVK Small Business Chief Demetric Erwin, MVK Commander Col. Mike Derosier, MVM Commander Col. Mike Ellicott, MVD Small Business Asst. Director Marlan Snodgrass, MVD Commander Maj. Gen. Mike Wehr, MVS Commander Col. Anthony Mitchell, MVS Contracting Chief Brenda Wynne George, MVS Deputy for Program & Project Management John Peukert, MVR Commander Col. Craig Baumgartner, MVR Small Business Chief Scott Shelley, MVP Small Business Chief Kim Ramsay, and MVP Commander Col. Sam Calkins. The conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Mississippi Valley Division partners with Vicksburg community leaders regarding the crime of sexual assault.