Scott Neal, Eden Prairie City Manager

This is Rick Wahlen. Rick is the City’s Utilities Operations Manager. He manages the City’s water production and distribution systems, as well as the City’s sanitary and storm sewer collection systems. Rick is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Rick has been selected to be the next principal regional emergency preparedness liaison officer (PREPLO) for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V.

Rick has served for 23 years in both the Army and the Army Reserve. This promotion means that Rick will now be a Colonel. His place of duty will be Great Lakes Naval Station in

Chicago . As the PREPLO of Region V, which includes the states of Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , Ohio , Indiana and Illinois , he will travel throughout the region and the United States to perform his duties. He will supervise a staff and provide leadership for a joint team of senior officers from each of the five branches of the military. Wahlen’s team mobilizes during times of regional emergencies, and augments other FEMA headquarters as needed during crises that occur outside of FEMA Region V.

Rick has been an outstanding addition to our Utilities staff. I feel that we are very fortunate to have someone of Rick’s military stature and depth of expertise on our staff. We get all the benefit of his military training by merely accommodating his military schedule. The country will benefit by our flexibility by gaining more of Rick’s time and attention at FEMA.

The City of Eden Prairie wins. The United States of America wins.