Gary W. Schenkel

Who is Gary W. Schenkel?

Gary W. Schenkel is, as of June 2011, the Executive Director of the city Office of Emergency Management and Communications in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to this position Schenkel was the director of the Federal Protective Service, one of the six divisions of the National Protection and Programs Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from March 2007 until July 2010. FPS is the national law enforcement agency responsible for the General Service Agency's inventory of over 9,000 buildings located in all 56 states, US territories and protectorates.

A retired United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, Schenkel served in the enlisted ranks for 8 of his nearly 30years of service. As an infantryman and infantry officer, he gained experience in a wide range of arenas, including organizational transformation efforts, security planning for public facilities, logistical planning and execution and business administration.

Schenkel took the helm at FPS, following the February 2007 announcement of a new effort to adjust the execution of the FPS mission and to improve FPS's administration and financial management. In his first year he developed a sequential financial system and paid more than 22,000 past due invoices dating back to 1999. He restructured the law enforcement agency and trained over 90% of his uniformed division in facility security assessments as well as law enforcement roles providing a more versatile officer capable of handling the wide range of responsibilities necessary to the protection of GSA facilities and support of Federal law enforcement functions.