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UMIMRA hires Victory Enterprises as new staff team 

Hannibal, MO — The Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers Association (UMIMRA) has announced the hiring of Victory Enterprises’ Agriculture Advocacy division to serve as the staff to the organization. Matt Alsager will serve as the organization’s Executive Director and Whitney Woolf will serve in an operations capacity providing strategic consulting and organizational support. “Matt Alsager and the folks at Victory Enterprises are well-equipped to help UMIMRA advocate for flood control in the Midwest and beyond.” said Aaron Baker, former Executive Director for UMIMRA.

“UMIMRA is committed to a balanced approach supporting flood control, navigation and common since environmental enhancements with the focus on improving and maintaining our Upper Valley flood control system.  UMIMRA is the only grassroots organization that is dedicated to rural and urban prosperity and environmental stewardship through wise development of river resources in the Upper Mississippi Valley,” said UMIMRA Board Chair Mike Klingner. “We thank Aaron Baker for serving as our Executive Director and know Matt and Whitney’s extensive political, policy and agriculture experience make them a perfect fit to lead our organization into the future.”

UMIMRA began as a loose network of levee and drainage districts between St. Louis and the Quad-Cities, working together to improve their levees. Over time, the Association expanded its geographic representation as people from south of St. Louis and the Illinois and Missouri Rivers joined the group.   Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, the Association changed its name to the Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers Association. Since 1993, UMIMRA has grown on several fronts – to several hundred members, a diverse membership, and a wide range of issues dealt with by the Board of Directors.

“We are extremely excited to join UMIMRA and lead the organization through this period of opportunity,” Alsager and Woolf said. “With Midwest leadership in a variety of federal agencies and a growing demand for infrastructure solutions, we believe the organization is well positioned to secure long-term flood control and sediment management policies to protect life and property along our rivers.”

The Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers Association or UMIMRA had formal beginnings in 1954 as the Upper Mississippi Flood Control Association. For more information, visit UMIMRA.org or contact Matt@UMIMRA.org.