Randy Urich started as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District’s operations project manager for the recreation and natural resources branch in December 2019. Urich said, “I have the pleasure of leading a staff of very professional and dedicated team members who operate and maintain the reservoirs, recreation areas and environmental stewardship lands of the St. Paul District. We provide flood risk management, recreation and natural resource services and opportunities to the public and Corps’ partners.”
It is Urich’s passion to be a part of and contribute to something bigger than himself. “The concept of teams, teamwork and all the positive aspects of character-building and camaraderie that play out within teams is what drives my passion,” said Urich.
Urich loves the Corps for its opportunities to work with and learn from a diverse group of people with a wide range of skills and other backgrounds. His genuine interest in helping others to be successful is one of his strengths. He added, he admires anyone who clearly demonstrates that they put the interest of others ahead of their own. His advice to others in the pursuit of their dreams is, “I find that the greatest level of personal satisfaction comes from helping others. I’d encourage anyone to pursue the kind of dreams that include others.”
Urich was born in north central Iowa but has been a Minnesota resident for most of his life. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in forestry and worked with the U.S. Forest Service before coming to the Corps.
"Shortly after college, I spent four seasons as a temporary forestry technician on the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming. Being from Minnesota and having some clerk skills from a previous part-time position, I accepted a permanent position as a clerk-typist in regulatory in St. Paul.
"Within eight months, I accepted a developmental opportunity as an outdoor recreation planner in the natural resource management section, which became permanent. During that time, and due to my background in forestry, I was assigned the task of developing an initial forest inventory for Corps-owned lands along the Upper Mississippi River.
"Soon after, a permanent forester position was established in the La Crescent field office. For the next 22 years, the Mississippi River forestry program and staffing grew, and I served as the lead forester.
"In 2011, I became the supervisory forester for the work unit including responsibility for the shoreline permit and other land management activities. I've also been an active member of the emergency flood response and temporary housing teams for quite a few years."
When Urich is not working, he loves to spend his free time
outdoors, doing outdoors activities with family, especially biking, hiking, hunting and fishing.
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