About > People > Robert M. Walker

Mr. Walker is Senior Vice-President of Plexus Scientific Corporation. Mr. Walker retired from the federal government following a 30-year career. During his public service, Walker was confirmed four times by the United States Senate to serve in senior executive branch positions. He served as Acting Secretary of the Army in 1998. In addition, Mr. Walker was Under Secretary of the Army, the Army Acquisition Executive, and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Logistics and Environment. He also served as the Deputy Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and was Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Memorial Affairs when he retired. Mr. Walker spent 25 years working in various staff positions on Capitol Hill.

Mr. Walker served as Acting Secretary of the Army in 1998. He led an agency with 1.3 million military and civilian personnel and a budget of $60 billion. As Acting Secretary he presided over the Army's first real growth budget request in 13 years. He also led development of the Army budget plan for fiscal years 2000-2005, which included more than $10 billion in efficiencies and savings to be reinvested in readiness, research, development and procurement programs. Mr. Walker also served as Under Secretary and served as deputy and senior advisor to the Secretary of the Army in the general management of the Department including recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training and mobilizing the Army.

One of the nation's leading authorities on federal, state, and local terrorism consequence management to include response to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents, Mr. Walker has led or participated in numerous national and regional terrorism exercises. He managed Department of Defense support to the State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, and federal agencies following the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. He oversaw development of the Nunn-Lugar-Dominici Domestic Preparedness Program to train local first responders in weapons of mass destruction preparedness in 120 American cities. He established a terrorism tiger team for the Secretary of Defense which, created National Guard Civil Support Teams located throughout the country to assist state and local authorities during WMD terrorism events. Following the events of 9-11, Mr. Walker served for two months as a special assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for Homeland Security issues.

As FEMA Deputy Director, Mr. Walker was the chief operating officer of FEMA and a member of the President's Management Council. Oversaw FEMA's national security programs including terrorism, National Continuity of Government (COG) and Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) programs. He coordinated FEMA's preparation for Y2K, including the development of a Y2K senior officials exercise. Served as chair of the Domestic Working Group of the President's Y2K Council.

As the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, Mr. Walker served as the chief executive officer of the National Cemetery Administration, overseeing 119 National veterans' cemeteries. During his tenure, he initiated the largest development program since the Civil War and secured the highest budget levels from Congress in the history of the agency. He also established the National Shrine Initiative to restore and modernize aging National Cemeteries.

Mr. Walker received the Pentagon's two highest awards for civilian service, the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal and the Department of the Army Distinguished Civilian Service Award. He also received the National Guard Bureau's Eagle Award.