Press Release

Subject: International Certified Emergency Manager Designation
Date: 2010-03-12
Author: Helen Means
Public Information Officer
Reference Number: 10-009

After many years of experience and training in law enforcement and 9 years of experience and training in emergency management, Platte County Sheriff’s Department Captain Mark Owen has earned the designation of “Certified Emergency Manager" (CEM) from the International Association of Emergency Managers.
The CEM designation is the highest honor of professional achievement available from the International Association of Emergency Managers, which includes more than 5,000 local, state and federal government, private industry, and military emergency managers in 58 countries in its membership.

The certification was awarded to Captain Owen on November 4, 2009 at an emergency managers’ conference in Orlando, Florida. The certification required an extensive credential package including experience, education, training, references and numerous contributions to the emergency management profession. It also required a thesis and a written examination.

"By obtaining his CEM, Captain Owen has once again demonstrated why he is considered one of the best emergency managers not only in the state of Missouri, but also in the entire country," said Platte County Sheriff Richard Anderson. Owen joins an elite group of 1,307 other emergency managers throughout the world that received the designation since January 1993.

"Without a doubt, there is a direct correlation between this achievement and the current success of the Platte County emergency preparedness program," Anderson said.
Captain Owen has helped guide Platte County through several presidential declared disasters including ice storms, tornados and flooding. In 2008, he responded to Montgomery County, Kansas to assist with debris management and recovery issues in the aftermath of heavy flooding and vast areas of oil-coated debris from a local refinery. In February of this year, the National Weather Service once again recognized Platte County as a StormReady county, a designation we have held since 2004.
Captain Owen’s knowledge and commitment serve not only Platte County but also the entire Kansas City region. He chairs several Homeland Security and Emergency Management regional committees and is an active member in many others. He serves as Vice President of region 7 of the International Association of Emergency Managers.
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