Chief Administrative Officer

DSC_2042

Mike Leonard
Chief Administrative Officer
P.O. Box 429
Biloxi, MS 39533

(228) 435-6254 voice
(228) 435-6129 fax

E. Michael Leonard, decorated Marine veteran and self-described “proud son of Biloxi,” became chief administrative officer on Oct. 1, 2016.

As CAO, Leonard assists the mayor in overseeing the day-to-day operation of city government, supervises all department directors and administrative staff, and reports directly to the mayor.

“Mike Leonard is highly qualified to help this city move forward,” Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said in announcing the appointment.  “He brings leadership and a wealth of knowledge to the city.”

Leonard, graduated from Notre Dame High School in Biloxi in 1965 and from the U.S. Naval Academy before being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marines.

After serving in Vietnam, his 28-year Marine Corps career included serving as public works director of a major installation, commander of a 2,500-Marine support group, assistant chief of staff for logistics, 3rd Marine Division, and director of Marine Corps facilities worldwide.

Leonard, 75, retired from the Marines in 1997 as a colonel and has served in the private sector as general manager of an 1,800-member workforce at Naval Support Facility at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and director of operations Kellogg Brown & Root.

In 2006, he became vice president of base services for EMCOR Government Services, managing $120 million in annual contracts and about 1,000 employees through the U.S., including Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Leonard has a Master of Engineering Administration degree from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy.