Fennewald Named Missouri Homeland
Security Coordinator
JEFFERSON CITY, November 1, 2005-Former FBI agent Paul
Fennewald 54, of California, Mo., will serve as Missouri Homeland
Security Coordinator under Mark James, Director of Public Safety.
“Today’s selection is in concert with my
campaign pledge to integrate the responsibilities of homeland security
within the Department of Public Safety,” said Gov. Matt Blunt.
“Director James as a cabinet level official serves as my homeland
security advisor and brings to bear the resources of the department
to protect and serve Missourians. Mr. Fennewald is the latest addition
to this team, which also includes key DPS agencies such as SEMA and
the Highway Patrol.”
Fennewald will serve as Director James’ lead coordinator for
homeland security issues among the divisions represented in Public
Safety.
“Fennewald’s homeland security experience
coupled with his long FBI career makes him the ideal person to coordinate
Missouri Homeland Security efforts to achieve an intelligence-gathering
and terrorism-prevention focused mission,” James said.
Fennewald has worked for DHS’s Office of Domestic
Preparedness (ODP) since January 2004. As a contract ODP employee,
he trains first responders on Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings
and the Prevention and Response to Suicide Bombings.
Before working for ODP, Fennewald served nearly 23 years
with the FBI, including direct participation in the investigations
of the terrorist bombings of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, the
USS Cole in Aden, Yemen and the World Trade Center attacks on Sept.11,
2001. In 1999 he was designated as the FBI’s WMD Liaison to
the State of Missouri.
“As a native Missourian, I look forward to returning
to the public safety arena and contributing to the state’s safety
and security,” Fennewald said. “I am excited about becoming
a part of the Department of Public Safety’s team whose leaders
I have worked alongside as an FBI agent.”
Fennewald has had experience with bombs and explosives
since his service as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist
with the U.S. Army in 1971. Prior to joining the FBI, Fennewald was
in the Military Police/Criminal Investigations Division (CID) unit
of the Missouri National Guard out of Jefferson City. At the time
of his retirement from the FBI, Fennewald was considered one of the
senior Bomb Technicians in the organization.
In 1980 Fennewald graduated Suma Cum Laude with a B.S.
in Criminal Justice from Drury College in Springfield.
Fennewald has two sons and lives with his wife, Beth,
in North Moniteau County near California, Mo. For more information
about the selection of Fennewald, please call Terri Durdaller at (573)
751-4819.