Power of Persuasion

EPA's Ron Kreizenbeck helps competing interests find common ground on environmental projects.

Ron Kreizenbeck learned how to lead on the front lines-literally. The soft-spoken former Army lieutenant served in Vietnam, and the skills he developed there have come in handy over the course of his 35-year federal career. "Vietnam taught me that just because you have an officer's insignia on your collar doesn't mean that you can be too bossy," says Kreizenbeck, 62. "I learned the power of persuasion and marshaling people to a cause."

As deputy regional administrator for EPA in the Pacific Northwest, Kreizenbeck manages more than 600 people and a $500 million annual budget.

But that doesn't include the limitless number of outside groups and government officials he deals with, all with vested-and sometimes competing-interests in the resource-rich Pacific Northwest, and all requiring deft handling. An aquatic biologist by training, Kreizenbeck needs the savvy of a CEO, environmental advocate, diplomat and lobbyist to succeed.

After the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, part of Region 10, Kreizenbeck was detailed to EPA headquarters in Washington to use his extensive contacts in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska to manage the agency's response and act as a liaison between federal and state decision-makers. He also crafted the restoration plan for Alaska's Prince William Sound, which sustained heavy environmental damage as a result of the spill.

Much of his work has focused on restoration and resource extraction projects. From leading an initiative to address water pollution in Puget Sound to putting together a plan to reduce toxins in the Columbia River, Kreizenbeck has spent his career reaching out to a diverse set of stakeholders, including contractors, Native American tribes, regulators and environmental groups.

So it's not surprising that when asked what he brings to his job, Kreizenbeck stresses his openness and willingness to listen. "I've seen other people try to do this job, and not do that, and have some difficulty," he says. "People, if they don't know what's on your mind or can't talk to you directly, always think the worst." It's a philosophy that has served him well. During his stint as acting regional administrator, EPA Region 10 was named one of the top places to work in government, according to a 2004 federal survey by the Office of Personnel Management.

Kreizenbeck, who grew up on a ranch in California, has a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Alaska, and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Washington.