Tony Russell named new Superintendent of Emergency Management Institute (EMI)

April 25, 2012

MEMORANDUM FOR:       All FEMA Employees

FROM:                                    W. Craig Fugate /s/Administrator

SUBJECT:                              FEMA Region VI Administrator Tony Russell named new 

                                               Superintendent of Emergency Management Institute (EMI)

I’m pleased to announce that current FEMA Region VI Administrator Tony Russell was selected to become the new Superintendent of FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, effective May 6.

Russell was appointed as the FEMA Region VI Administrator in December 2009, and has been responsible for the oversight of FEMA operations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. He previously served as the Acting Director of FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office (LRO) and as a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) for FEMA Region VIII.

Russell’s accomplishments while serving as the Region VI Administrator include the streamlining and reinvigoration of recovery efforts from hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike in Louisiana and Texas. He also oversaw many federal disaster and emergency declarations for events such as flooding, tornadoes and severe winter storms in all five of the region’s states.

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Russell on his new role where he will champion the EMI mission of training emergency managers at all levels of government as they work to prevent, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the potential effects of all types of disasters and emergencies. 

FEMA Region VI Deputy Administrator Tony Robinson will assume the duties of Acting Regional Administrator upon Russell’s departure.