Col. (Ret) Reinhard “Rhino” Koenig spent 30 years in active duty service in the US Army Corps of Engineers and 7 years in the Corps’ Senior Executive Service.  He has extensive leadership experience leading environmental and permitting efforts within the Corps as well as developing policy involving national resource strategies.

As Commander of the Alaska District, he oversaw the second largest federal permitting program in a state whose economy is almost exclusively based on natural resources. He managed Corps review and negotiations on complex permitting involving oil and gas extraction, pipelines, mitigation banking, and mining.  He also oversaw the execution of a large military construction and civil works program.

While in command, he earned a reputation for bringing together diverse stakeholders at all levels of government, tribal leaders, and resource agencies to solve complex permitting issues.

After command in Alaska, he served four years as the senior military advisor and chief of staff to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works in the Pentagon.  In this role, he helped coordinate all policy and budget aspects of the Army’s Civil Works mission including negotiations over the definition of “Waters of the US” as part of the Clean Water Act.  He also coordinated major policy and legal issues with Congressional members and staff.