Michael Montgomery Selected as New Executive Officer, SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board

Michael Montgomery, a 30-plus year veteran with the Federal government, has been tapped as the incoming Executive Officer for the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. He succeeds Executive Officer Bruce Wolfe, who is retiring. Montgomery will be joining the Board under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act Assignment Agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agreement.

Montgomery is known for fostering collaborative relationships among stakeholders and as a leader in protecting and restoring water quality within California and throughout the Southwest and the Pacific Islands. He is currently serving as the Assistant Director of the Water Division in the US Environmental Protection Agency (Region 9).

Montgomery’s accomplishments are significant and include providing leadership in protecting groundwater in California from oil production activities and in leading Federal and State partnerships in addressing drought-impacted Tribal Drinking Water systems and identifying $3 million in targeted funding. Additionally, he has directing the financial overhaul of loan fund programs in California and Hawaii that reduced unliquidated funds by more than $400 million and also headed the Region 9 Water program for the Gold King Mine Spill response and follow-on multi-jurisdictional collaboration in the San Juan River Basin.

Montgomery’s past employment has included serving as Senior Executive at the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and as Assistant Director of the Superfund Division at US EPA Region 9. He has also served in numerous other senior leadership and supervisory positions with the Federal government.

A graduate of the University of Redlands with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, Montgomery also went on to complete continuing education coursework in Environmental Chemistry, Hazardous Waste Treatment Technologies, Hydrogeology, and Hazardous Waste Site Characterization. He is also a graduate of the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program in the US Office of Personnel Management.

“I have successfully managed large organizations in environmental programs including permitting and compliance, planning, budget and finance management, human resources, data quality, health and safety, and innovative incentives” said Montgomery. “But most importantly, my values are aligned with the mission of the organization.

But speaking as to his personal commitment to California’s waters Montgomery said, “I swim in the bay, fish in the bay and the ocean, and paddle where I can. I am avid in my belief that it is our obligation to protect and restore the rich resources we are blessed with for the generations to come.”