Greg Michel has retired from his role as executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, marking the end of a rare tenure for a Pike County resident to oversee a state agency.
Gov. Tate Reeves appointed MEMA deputy director and chief of staff Stephen McCraney to replace Michel, effective Thursday.
“I’m just very humbled,” Michel said. “This has been the most challenging job I’ve had in 30 years. I have learned a lot about myself. This state comes together during bad times, and I’m very honored to have served this state.”
Michel also thanked Reeves for keeping him on as director of MEMA after Reeves took office, since a change in leadership can often lead to department turnovers.
“We’re all sorry to see him move on, but we’re incredibly grateful for his service,” Reeves said. “Greg, thank you for your service. Job well done.”
Reeves praised Michel for making the MEMA change a smooth transition as well, preparing McCraney for the job.
“Thanks for the high bar, Greg, and thank you, governor, for your faith and trust in me,” McCraney said. “We’re going to continue to be prepared. Repair, respond and recover from every disaster, and that’s exactly what this state does.”
Michel started working in state government after a long career with the National Guard, where he had achieved the rank of colonel and prior to his military retirement had been commander of Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg.
Former Gov. Phil Bryant appointed him to the MEMA executive director’s position in December 2019. Prior to that, Michel had worked in the governor’s office.
His brief time leading MEMA saw numerous crises affecting the state that would have been enough to put the agency through its paces on any given year. Those included the flooding of the Pearl River near Jackson, the flooding of the south Delta, an extremely busy and deadly tornado season and a record-breaking hurricane season, along with the pandemic.
Michel, who lives in McComb, has been one of several state officials who have been at the forefront of Mississippi’s COVID-19 response. As MEMA director, he has led the agency in charge of distributing massive amounts of personal protective equipment, testing supplies and vaccines throughout the state.
Michel also has first-hand knowledge of the virus. He got sick last month and was hospitalized with double pneumonia.
“I have no idea where I got it, which is very strange,” he said in an interview with Mississippi Public Broadcasting earlier this month.
“The pneumonia is what really put me on my knees,” said Michel, 51. “You take a breath of fresh air for granted when you can’t get it.”
He was hospitalized for four days, he said.
“The folks at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb did a phenomenal job of care. They took wonderful care of me,” he told MPB.
