Two of the six new departments created by Baton Rouge’s move to reorganize its Department of Public Works have new directors.
Mayor Kip Holden announced this morning that he has named David Childress the new Fleet Management Director, while Stephanie Rivers has been named the new Director of Building and Grounds.
Childress joins the city-parish with more than 20 years of experience in fleet management operations in the trucking and utilities industries, according to a news release from Holden’s Office. Childress has experience in the private sector developing and managing fleet maintenance programs, as well as fleet greening and sustainability programs. He also has experience with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations and Department of Transportation, federal, and state policies regarding hazardous materials. In his new position, Childress will oversee all aspects of the East Baton Rouge Central Garage, including fleet acquisition, repair, maintenance, leaseback programs and compliance programs.
Like Childress, who is a former infantry squad leader and drill sergeant with the U.S. Army, Rivers is also a veteran, having most recently served as the founding commander of the 3rd Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary). She served the last 10 years on active duty as a mobilized Army Reserve officer.
Rivers served in various positions for the Department of Defense as a senior logistician and operations officer, and she led units of soldiers and civilians to provide transportation, maintenance, logistics and facility management in support of non-logistics Army units. Rivers also held a command position at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, where she brought a billion-dollar facility to full operational capability ahead of schedule, according to Holden’s announcement. She will retire from the Army Reserve in October as a colonel after 30 years of service.
Following voter approval last fall, the DPW reorganization plan became official on Jan. 15.
