Roger Gauthier to lead new program 

Ann Arbor, Mich. — The Great Lakes Commission is pleased to announce that Roger Gauthier, a longtime hydrologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Detroit District, is joining the Commission as manager of its newly established Data and Information Management Program.

Gauthier, a widely respected expert on Great Lakes levels and flows, is joining the Commission through a multiyear interagency personnel agreement with the Corps. He will oversee the Commission’s data collection, analysis and management activities, which include geographic information systems (GIS), the Great Lakes Regional Air Toxic Emissions Inventory, the development of data management tools and a range of related activities. He will also bring additional expertise to bear on the Commission’s work in the area of decision support for regional water management programs.

“We’re delighted to have someone of Roger’s experience and stature join the Commission,” said Nat Robinson, chairman of the Great Lakes Commission. “His addition to our staff will help enhance the Commission’s status as a leading regional institution providing scientific and technical support for resource management and policy initiatives.”

Lt. Col. Thomas Magness IV, commander of the Corps’ Detroit District, congratulated Gauthier on his new position.

“Roger has been a great asset to the Corps during his 25 years here,” Magness said. “With his knowledge and expertise in hydrology, data systems and Great Lakes issues, this is a tremendous opportunity to strengthen our working relationship with the Commission as we jointly pursue projects that benefit our region.”

The program area Gauthier will head, Data and Information Management, is a newly established program area that grew out of the Commission’s rapid growth in providing technical and scientific support for regional policy leaders.

“As the Commission continues to grow and gain new responsibilities, it makes sense to restructure our program areas so they can remain focused on clearly defined core missions,” said Mike Donahue, Commission President/CEO. “Our staffing levels have expanded and will continue to do so as needed to meet the growing challenges of serving our state and provincial members, and the entire Great Lakes-St. Lawrence community.”

Gauthier’s experience with the Corps includes managing operations dealing with Great Lakes water level forecasting, lakes Superior and Ontario outflow regulation studies, GIS development and remote sensing analyses. He is the U.S. lead for an International Joint Commission (IJC) task force dealing with data collection and information management for Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

Gauthier previously served as U.S. chair of an IJC task group on land use management for the Great Lakes and as chair of a national Corps of Engineers GIS implementation team, and is a past president of the Michigan Section of the American Water Resources Association. Until recently, he also chaired the advisory board of the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN), a Commission-managed Internet “gateway” that receives more than four million visits each month.

For immediate release: September 3, 2002
Contact: Mike Donahue, [email protected], office: 734-971-9135

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The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by Nathaniel E. Robinson (Wisconsin), is a nonpartisan, binational compact agency created by state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of state legislators, agency officials, and governors’ appointees from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a “Declaration of Partnership.” The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.