GALVESTON,
Texas (Feb. 6, 2014) –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District announced the
selection of Dr. Edmond Russo Jr., as its new deputy district engineer for
programs and project management – the highest attainable civilian position in
the district.
“I’m honored to serve this district and provide leadership that
will take delivery of our products and services to the next level of performance
for our partners, customers and stakeholders,” said Russo.
A 21-year veteran of the Corps, Russo succeeds Pete Perez, who was inducted
into the Senior Executive Service during a ceremony in
Washington, D.C., Jan. 30, and will join the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Southwestern Division as the director, regional business directorate.
In his new position, Russo will oversee concept to delivery of projects and
services in an area spanning 50,000 square miles of the Texas coast from
Louisiana to Mexico, encompassing 16 congressional districts (valued at
approximately $350 million) to sustain navigation economics that are vital to
the nation, while managing coastal risk reduction, ecosystem restoration,
regulatory functions, emergency operations, military construction and
international and interagency services mission areas.
“He is already working with the Galveston team to understand the district, the
priorities and the challenges,” said Col. Richard Pannell, USACE Galveston
District commander. “Edmond has fantastic credentials and will be able to pick
up right where Pete left off as our deputy for Programs and Project Management.
We look forward to him joining the team and I know he will continue to serve
this organization well in his new role."
Russo previously served as chief, Ecosystem Evaluation and
Engineering Division in the Environmental Laboratory of the U.S. Army Engineer
Research and Development Center (ERDC), in Vicksburg, Miss., from June 2009 to
January 2014. In this role, he supervised and managed product and service
delivery to develop and deliver innovative solutions that address complex, high
priority Corps dredging problems.
From 2005 to 2009, Russo held the position of chief, Coastal
Engineering Branch, Navigation Division, ERDC Coastal and Hydraulics
Laboratory. There he supervised and managed a branch of research scientists and
engineers, in coastal, navigation, and dredging engineering research and
development for provision of sponsored technical support in water resources
project planning and execution.
Previous to this position, Russo performed engineering and
management activities on coastal navigation and ecosystem restoration projects and
studies at the USACE New Orleans District from 1992 to 2005.
A native of New Orleans, he graduated from Louisiana State
University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He earned a
Master of Science in Civil Engineering with a geotechnical engineering emphasis
from University of New Orleans in1997. From 2002 to 2005, he completed doctoral
course work at Tulane University. Following the closure of Tulane University
after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Russo transferred his
doctoral studies to Louisiana State University and completed a Doctor of
Philosophy in Civil Engineering with a coastal engineering emphasis in 2009.
A licensed Professional Engineer in Louisiana and is a
board-certified Diplomate in Coastal Engineering and Navigation Engineering of
the American Society of Civil Engineers, he is a 1999 graduate of the Army
Management Staff College. Additionally, he serves as vice chair and secretary
of the Environmental Commission, Permanent International Association of
Navigation Congresses, which supports international development and
distribution of technical information on contemporary topics for sustainable
navigation infrastructure management practice.
With its rich heritage in Texas history, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Galveston District plays a key role in America’s well-being by keeping
waterways open for navigation and commerce and serves the nation as part of the
world’s largest public engineering, design and construction management agency.
For news and information, visit www.swg.usace.army.mil. Find us on
Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict or follow us
on Twitter, www.twitter.com/USACEgalveston.