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Larry MacIntyre
University Communications
lmacinty@indiana.edu
812-856-1172

John Applegate
Vice President for University Regional Affairs, Planning, and Policy
jsapple@indiana.edu
812-855-9198

Last modified: Monday, June 28, 2010

IU appoints directors for emergency management, public safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2010

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University has filled the newly created positions of emergency management director and public safety director with two IU employees who bring lengthy records of experience and accomplishment to the jobs.

Diane Mack was chosen to be IU's first director for emergency management and continuity (EMC) and Jerry Minger was named director for public safety. Both positions carry university-wide responsibility.

The appointments were announced by John Applegate, vice president for university regional affairs, planning and policy.

"These new positions are key elements in our commitment to ensuring safe campus environments, effective emergency planning and capacity for speedy, professional first-response to any situation," Applegate said. "We were fortunate to find two very experienced and highly skilled professionals to fill these positions."

The positions were created in response to a 2009 directive by IU President Michael McRobbie to strengthen the institution's capabilities in both public safety and emergency management.

Both positions report to Mark Bruhn, associate vice president for public safety and institutional assurance.

"While IU's capacity and capabilities in public safety and emergency response have always been very good, they need to be consistently outstanding on all campuses," Bruhn said. "These two individuals bring extensive expertise and experience to these positions and will provide the leadership we need to achieve our long-term strategy."

Mack, who assumed her new duties May 4, is responsible for ensuring that all IU campuses have viable and adequately tested emergency response plans, and that each IU department has plans in place to ensure critical functions can be recovered quickly if they are interrupted by emergencies, such as a building fire or tornado damage.

She will oversee the work of the directors for EMC at IU Bloomington, IUPUI, and the regional campuses collectively. Each of these individuals will bring professional emergency management experience and certifications to a critical university activity.

Mack most recently served as the director for EMC at IUPUI, where she installed a comprehensive campus emergency management program.

Before coming to IUPUI, Mack was strategic planning branch chief for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and prior to that was assistant director of homeland security for the Indiana Counter-Terrorism and Security Council.

She is certified as an emergency manager by the International Association of Emergency Managers and is chair of the Indiana Homeland Security Higher Education Advisory Board's Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee. She has a bachelor of science degree in Industrial Hygiene from Purdue University and is working toward a law degree at IU.

Minger, a long-time police administrator at IU Bloomington, assumes his new duties July 1. He will be responsible for coordinating police operations on all IU campuses. The position's primary goal is to optimize safety on all IU campuses by ensuring consistent and effective practices and policies in areas such as crowd control, suspect pursuit, uniforms, vehicles and equipment.

Minger will work with campus police chiefs to identify and gain efficiencies in use and sharing of resources where possible and appropriate.

Minger has 37 years of law enforcement experience. He has served as the IU Bloomington interim police chief since Jan. 4, following the retirement of chief Mike Hanson. Keith Cash, current deputy chief of police at IU Bloomington, will assume duties as interim chief of police, replacing Minger.

Prior to Minger's appointment as interim police chief, he was public information officer for IUPD and has been officer in charge of administration of the department for 19 years. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and a certified instructor in a variety of police specialties. He holds a bachelor of general studies from IU.

IU recently concluded a year-long engagement with an external consulting firm, including several training exercises, which confirmed the appropriateness of IU's new organizational structure.