By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News
(SPRINGFIELD, Ill.) — Gov. Bruce Rauner has appointed Joseph G. Klinger as acting director for the state’s Emergency Management Agency.
Klinger has worked for the state since 1988 and previously served as IEMA’s assistant director from January 2007 to May 2010, interim director from May 2010 to February 2011, and most recently as deputy director since February 2015.
Klinger will succeed James K. Joseph, who has been appointed by the Trump administration as regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s FEMA Region V office in Chicago. At FEMA, Joseph will oversee a six-state region that includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
“I am grateful for James Joseph’s service as the director of the state’s Emergency Management Agency,” Rauner said. “He has been an effective leader through several emergencies involving severe flooding, tornados, and an oil train derailment. I wish James the best in his new endeavors and I’m confident that IEMA will continue to thrive and meet the state’s critical emergency needs under Joseph Klinger’s leadership.”
“I’m very honored to have this opportunity to support the agency’s critical mission as acting director,” Klinger said. “The men and women at IEMA are working hard every day to protect the people of Illinois and keep them safe in times of disaster. We will continue to build on the great work that Director Joseph spearheaded.”
Before joining the state of Illinois, Joseph was director of the DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He also worked for more than a decade in private-sector security operations.
Klinger retired as a captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves in 2008 after 28 years of military service. He began his military career in the U.S. Marine Corps and was awarded a Meritorious Combat Promotion and two Purple Hearts for his service in the Vietnam War. He also served in the Middle East in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
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