Maj. Gen. Michael Wehr, P.E., USA (Ret.), SAME National Office
Executive Director, SAME and the SAME Foundation (2023-Present)
Key SAME & Career Leadership Positions/Contributions
Maj. Gen. Michael Wehr, P.E., USA (Ret.), started as SAME Executive Director on Aug. 1, 2023. In this role, he is the chief salaried administrator of the Society—responsible for the effective operation and management of the organization to the National Leadership Assembly, Board of Direction, and the National President. He also will serve as Executive Director of the SAME Foundation, which is separately incorporated and with its own Board of Directors but fully integrated for financial management and SAME program support.
Wehr joined SAME after 35 years in the U.S. Army, where he held a wide range of senior positions including as Director of Strategy, Capabilities, Policy, Programs & Logistics with U.S. Transportation Command. Before that, he served as Deputy Chief of Engineers and Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Other assignments include Commanding General, USACE Mississippi Valley Division and President of the Mississippi River Commission; Director of the Joint Engineering Directorate of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan; Commander, USACE Transatlantic Division (Forward-Afghanistan); and Commanding General, USACE South Pacific Division.
Within SAME as a volunteer before joining the national staff, Wehr most recently chaired the Construction Task Force that was stood up in fall 2022 by then-SAME President Cindy Lincicome, F.SAME, successfully navigating its development over a nine-month period until it was elevated to the Construction Community of Interest in May 2023. During his career both in uniform and with industry, Wehr also was a frequent speaker and facilitator at SAME events, and supporter of many national programs including the Engineering & Construction Camps and Leader Development Program. He received the SAME President’s Medal at the 2023 JETC in San Antonio.
Wehr, who earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Santa Clara, holds a master’s in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a graduate of the Army Command & General Staff College. He is SAME’s 18th Executive Director since the organization was founded in 1920.
In addition to leading the day-to-day business, supporting governance responsibilities, and collaborating on policies and programs to carry out the Society’s vision and mission, Wehr oversees activities of the National Office staff; manages an annual budget of approximately $10 million along with a substantial investment portfolio; and develops and cultivates relationships with key internal and external stakeholders such as the Presidents of SAME’s 100 Posts, the engineering chiefs of the uniformed services, federal government leaders, and strategic partners throughout the A/E/C community.