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Governor
Haley Barbour appointed Mike Womack Executive Director of
the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in December 2006.
Womack previously served as MEMA's Deputy Director and as
the agency's Response & Recovery Director.
During
Hurricane Katrina, Womack was designated as the State Coordinating
Officer and coordinated the state's resources as well as the
massive amount of resources provided by other states through
the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. He continues
to serve as the Governor's Authorized Representative for the
continuing Hurricane Katrina recovery.
He
has also served as the State Coordinating Officer for Hurricane
Ivan and as Deputy State Coordinating Officer for two additional
major disaster declarations.
Womack
has an extensive operations and management background and
brings this knowledge to the emergency management setting.
He retired in 2001 after serving 29 years in active and reserve
military service as a full time Lieutenant Colonel for the
Mississippi Army National Guard. During his time in
the National Guard Womack developed plans and exercises in
support of states mission for Emergency Response. These exercises
fully incorporated the National Guard's support to civilian
authorities.
Womack
began his career with the Mississippi Military Department
in 1985 as the senior active duty officer supervising a 1,000
man armored cavalry squadron. In 1994 he was promoted to the
senior full time officer position in the 4,000 solider, 155th
Armored Brigade.
Womack
has received numerous awards for his military service.
Among those awards is the Mississippi Magnolia Cross, which
is the highest peacetime award presented by the state .
He is also the recipient
of multiple Army Commendation Medal awards and Meritorious
Service Medal awards.
A
native of Hernando, he has a Bachelor's Degree in music from
the University of Mississippi and was commissioned a Second
Lieutenant from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning,
Ga.
Womack
is a member of the Mississippi Civil Defense/Emergency Management
Association, Regional Vice President for the National Emergency
Management Agency and serves on their Legislative Committee,
member of the Board of Directors for the Central United States
Earthquake Consortium, the National Guard Associations of
Mississippi and the United States, and the United States Army
Armor Association where he holds the Order of St. George,
signifying significant contributions to the advancement of
the Cavalry and Armor Units.
Womack
is married to the former Jonie Eatwell of Hernando. The couple
has a daughter, two sons and four grandchildren.
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