Clayton Public Works Director Michael Pratt Named Leadership Fellow

public works director Michael Pratt has been named a Public Works Leadership Fellow by the American Public Works Association, the organization announced Tuesday in a news release.

As a fellow, Pratt will mentor public works professionals who are enrolled in the association's Donald C. Stone Center for Leadership Excellence.

“I hope to provide leadership, insights, and encouragement to allow future public works leaders to succeed, and to provide superior selfless, public service,” Pratt stated in the release.  “Those that I’ve had the pleasure to mentor in the past include Commanders/District Engineers for three U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Districts, and three current public works directors.  The areas of expertise that I plan to share through APWA’s Public Works Leadership Fellows program are leadership, management, selfless service, civil and municipal engineering, and public works organization and functions.”

Among Pratt's responsibilities in Clayton are oversight of capital projects; maintenance of streets, alleys, sidewalks, buildings and street lights; snow and ice control; trash and recycling collection; and parking operations.

He holds a master's in management from Webster University; a master's in civil engineering from Purdue University; and a bachelor's in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky. He is registered as a professional engineer in seven states. He retired as a U.S. Army colonel in 2002, having served more than 26 years as an engineer officer.

Pratt has held positions as public works director at Fort Hood, TX, the largest Army installation in the U.S.; commander and district engineer of the New England District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and public works director for St. Charles, MO.