Gary W. Schenkel
Encyclopedia
Gary W. Schenkel was the director of the Office of the Federal Protective Service, one of the six divisions of the National Protection and Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security from March 2007 until July 2010. A retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, Schenkel has 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 the division 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.
Prior to joining the United States Federal Protective Service
, Schenkel served as Assistant Federal Security Director for the Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) at Chicago Midway Airport, a position he has held since February 2004. He was responsible for security operations and planning at the fastest growing airport facility in the United States, and worked to respond to the new challenges of securing the homeland. In this position, Schenkel oversaw the strategic planning and business management of TSA operations at the airport and worked with government partners and private sector service providers to ensure the highest levels of security at the airport without sacrificing efficiency and service. His portfolio included the departments of Human Resources, Finance, Customer Service and Stakeholder. Schenkel was responsible for operational planning for specific security events such as periods of high travel and elevated threat levels.
Before joining TSA, Schenkel served from 2000-2004 as the Assistant Deputy Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department
(CPD), the nation's second largest police force, where he was one of only two civilians in the department's history to be given operational command over uniformed officers in the department. Schenkel joined the CPD specifically to help guide the department's transformation efforts in recruiting and training officers and deploying new technology and operational concepts to meet new challenges in fighting and reducing crime. In addition, he headed the department's anti-terrorism efforts following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Schenkel is a 29-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps
, having retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2000. In his three decades of service, he garnered significant leadership experience, including command of a 1,200 Marines during combat operations in Desert Storm in 1991. In addition, he developed nuclear response plans and executed various logistical projects, including what was then the largest single movement of nuclear weapons in U.S. history. Prior to retiring from the Marine Corps, Schenkel served as Operations Officer at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab in Quantico, Va., where he focused on long-range planning related to the Marine mission in the 21st century.
In July 2010, Schenkel was transferred to a policy position within DHS Headquarters amidst a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into inefficiencies within the Federal Protective Service.
Schenkel is a graduate of Lindenwood University
in St. Charles, Missouri., and California State University
in Hayward, California
.
Schenkel took the helm at the division 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.
Prior to joining the United States Federal Protective Service
United States Federal Protective Service
The Federal Protective Service is the federal police force of the Secretary of Homeland Security. As a component of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Protection and Programs Directorate within DHS Headquarters, FPS is responsible for law enforcement and security of nearly 9,000...
, Schenkel served as Assistant Federal Security Director for the Transportation Security Administration
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
(TSA) at Chicago Midway Airport, a position he has held since February 2004. He was responsible for security operations and planning at the fastest growing airport facility in the United States, and worked to respond to the new challenges of securing the homeland. In this position, Schenkel oversaw the strategic planning and business management of TSA operations at the airport and worked with government partners and private sector service providers to ensure the highest levels of security at the airport without sacrificing efficiency and service. His portfolio included the departments of Human Resources, Finance, Customer Service and Stakeholder. Schenkel was responsible for operational planning for specific security events such as periods of high travel and elevated threat levels.
Before joining TSA, Schenkel served from 2000-2004 as the Assistant Deputy Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
(CPD), the nation's second largest police force, where he was one of only two civilians in the department's history to be given operational command over uniformed officers in the department. Schenkel joined the CPD specifically to help guide the department's transformation efforts in recruiting and training officers and deploying new technology and operational concepts to meet new challenges in fighting and reducing crime. In addition, he headed the department's anti-terrorism efforts following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Schenkel is a 29-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, having retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2000. In his three decades of service, he garnered significant leadership experience, including command of a 1,200 Marines during combat operations in Desert Storm in 1991. In addition, he developed nuclear response plans and executed various logistical projects, including what was then the largest single movement of nuclear weapons in U.S. history. Prior to retiring from the Marine Corps, Schenkel served as Operations Officer at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab in Quantico, Va., where he focused on long-range planning related to the Marine mission in the 21st century.
In July 2010, Schenkel was transferred to a policy position within DHS Headquarters amidst a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into inefficiencies within the Federal Protective Service.
Schenkel is a graduate of Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University, often referred to as Lindenwood or LU, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Saint Charles, Missouri, United States...
in St. Charles, Missouri., and California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
.