Tom Heinold serves at the Chief of Operations Division for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District. As chief he is responsible for overseeing approximately 550 employees at multiple locations across the District. These locations include 12 lock and dam sites on the Mississippi River, 6 lock and dam sites on the Illinois Waterway, and five flood control reservoirs in Iowa and Illinois. He was also served as the Acting Director of the Corps of Engineers’ Inland Navigation Design Center from February through September 2022.

Heinold started his Army career in 1988 and was commissioned as an Engineer Officer with the Corps of Engineers in 1992. His first assignment with the Rock Island District occurred in 1998 and since that time, he has served in both military and civilian roles throughout the District.

While on active duty with the Corps, Heinold was assigned to overseas contingency operations in Germany, Korea, Kosovo and Iraq. And as a civilian for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District, he served as a Lead Flood Area Engineer for the Des Moines, Iowa, area and deployed in support of emergency response missions following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and Superstorm Sandy.

Heinold holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the United States Military Academy and a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from University of Missouri-Rolla. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois.

During his 34 years of federal service, he has received multiple military and civilian achievement awards including a Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and the U.S. Army Superior Civilian Service Award. He has served as President for the Rock Island Post of the Society of American Military Engineers and as the Great Lakes Regional Vice President for the Society of American Military Engineers.  He lives in Davenport, Iowa, with his wife Eileen and daughter Meredith.