Governor and First Consul Phil Bryant issued the following press release:
Governor Bryant Names Lee Smithson as MEMA Executive Director
Robert Latham Retiring
JACKSON–Gov.
Phil Bryant has named Col. Lee Smithson as incoming Executive Director
of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Current MEMA
Executive
Director Robert Latham is retiring effective Jan. 31 and Col. Smithson will begin on Feb. 1. He is currently Director of Military Support for the Mississippi National Guard and has been in that role since April 2005.
Latham
was appointed Executive Director of MEMA by Gov. Bryant on Jan. 10,
2012, a position he previously held under Govs. Ronnie Musgrove and
Haley Barbour from
Feb. 2000 through June 2006.
“Robert
Latham has meant a great deal to the State of Mississippi during his
time at MEMA that spans back almost 15 years. He has led Mississippi
through countless
difficult times such as Hurricane Katrina, multiple tornado outbreaks,
and numerous other events,” Gov. Bryant said. “I thank him for his
unwavering service to the people of Mississippi and wish him well in
retirement.”
“Helping
this state become better prepared is an accomplishment I will always be
proud of, but the most rewarding experiences for me have been helping
people who
have lost everything in a disaster and offering hope for their future,”
Latham said. “I will be forever grateful for the opportunities I have
had in the more than ten years as MEMA Executive Director.”
Col.
Smithson has served as Director of Military Support for the Mississippi
National Guard during Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav, Ike and Isaac, the
Mississippi River
Flood of 2011, multiple tornado outbreaks, and the Deep Water Horizon
Oil Spill in 2010.
“I
am pleased to appoint Col. Smithson to MEMA Executive Director and know
his extensive, direct experience in disaster related events suits him
well to take over
and lead,” Gov. Bryant said. “He has a wealth of operations knowledge
from his time at the Mississippi National Guard where he has worked
closely with MEMA during many disasters and this will allow him to
seamlessly transition into the role.”
"I
am extremely honored that Governor Bryant has selected me for this
position. For over a decade, I've focused my efforts as an officer in
the Mississippi National
Guard on homeland security and disaster operations,” Col. Smithson
said. “I worked side by side with MEMA during Hurricanes Katrina and
Isaac, the Smithville, Louisville and Tupelo tornados, the Deep Water
Horizon oil spill and the flood of 2011. MEMA is renowned
for its expertise in disaster response operations and the employees are
some of the best in our nation when a disaster occurs. I look forward
to the opportunity to serve the people of Mississippi as the MEMA
Executive Director."
Col.
Smithson has also held numerous command and staff positions during his
thirty-one year career including: commander of an M-1 tank company in
the Federal Republic
of Germany, Infantry Battalion Executive Officer with duty in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Commander and First Cavalry Division Rear Operations
Center with duty in Baghdad, Iraq.
He
has received numerous awards and decorations including the Bronze Star
Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the
Army Commendation
Medal with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal,
the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal
with Bronze Service Star, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the NATO Medal
and the Mississippi Magnolia Cross, which is
the state’s highest military award. He also has the Combat Action
Badge.
Col.
Smithson’s military education includes the Armor Officer Basic and
Advance Courses, Combined Arms Services Staff School, Command and
General Staff Officer’s
Course and the U.S. Army War College.
He
holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Tulane University, a Master of
Strategic Studies Degree from the U.S. Army War College and a Master of
Homeland Security
Degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Col. Smithson is married to the former Elizabeth Black of Jackson and they have two children.
2 comments:
Robert Latham served three governors as Director of MEMA and in the process transformed MEMA, local EMA and other state agencies disaster preparedness, response and recovery from the old civil defense environment to current day capabilities. Latham is an prifessional manager and will be missed.
That job, once vacant, is quite the political plumb. Will Robert Graham be on the short list?
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