Mr. James A. Bodron serves as Director of Programs for the Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) and the Mississippi River Commission (MRC), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Mr. Bodron was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in August 2016, where he served as director of the Programs Directorate for MVD.
The Senior Executive Service (SES) is the civilian equivalent to the military rank of General Officer. SES leaders possess well-honed executive skills and share a broad perspective of government and a public service commitment which is grounded in the Constitution. Members of the SES serve in key positions just below the top Presidential appointees and are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the federal work force.
In his current position, Mr. Bodron serves as the principal advisor to the commander of MVD and president of the MRC for the development, defense, and execution of the Civil Works Program across twelve states served by the Mississippi Valley Division. He provides executive strategic leadership and supervision for the Programs Directorate and has regional staff oversight for programs, planning, operations, real estate and project management activities in the Division's six District offices located in St. Paul, Rock Island, Memphis, Vicksburg and New Orleans.
Mr. Bodron previously served as deputy district engineer for Project Management for the Memphis District, USACE. Other assignments in the Memphis District include chief of Operations Division, assistant chief of Planning in the Programs and Project Management Branch, a project manager, and a senior study manager. In addition to working in the Memphis District, Mr. Bodron also held positions with USACE in the Little Rock, Tulsa, and Rock Island districts.
Mr. Bodron deployed to Afghanistan in November 2008, where he served as the deputy project manager and acting director of the Kandahar Program Office, Afghanistan Engineer District. He stood up this office and directed a budget of $900 million in military construction efforts in support of overseas contingency operations. He also worked with NATO and U.S. forces to design and construct a wide variety of facilities.
From 2002-2005, he served as the national liaison between USACE and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He worked cooperatively with that agency’s leaders on watershed planning and project implementation efforts.
Mr. Bodron is a graduate of Tennessee Tech University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1986, as well as, the University of Memphis, where he earned a master’s degree in civil engineering in 1994. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Tennessee, a past officer and director of the Society of American Military Engineers, Memphis Post, and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.