Honorable R.D. James inducted into the MVD Gallery of Distinguished Civilians

VICKSBURG, Miss. – On October 5, 2022, the Honorable Mr. R.D. James of New Madrid, Mo., former Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and long-serving member of the Mississippi River Commission, was inducted into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division’s Gallery of Distinguished Civilians for his 36 years of service on the commission as well as his service to the nation as one of the staunchest advocates for flood control in the history of the Mississippi Valley.

On December 1, 2022, Mississippi River Commission President Major General Diana Holland formally honored Mr. James with this distinction at the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association’s Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Induction into the Gallery is the highest honor the Mississippi Valley Division can bestow upon a civilian. In presenting Mr. James with his award, Holland remarked, “R.D. James dedicated himself to improving relationships with our local partners, members of Congress, and Corps of Engineers leadership at all levels in pursuit of improving the lives of the people in the valley.”

“This honor is an honor bestowed on the Titans that designed, built, and matured flood control and navigation improvements on the Mississippi River,” said Charles Camillo, the Executive Director of the Mississippi River Commission. Only those with the highest reputation, whose contributions have had a profound and lasting impact on the Mississippi Valley and the Corps of Engineers are considered for this distinction.

President Ronald Reagan first appointed Mr. James to the commission and he was sworn in at the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association Annual Meeting on December 1, 1981. Exactly 41 years later to the day, Major General Holland honored James at the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association Annual Meeting by formally inducting him into the Mississippi Valley Division’s Gallery of Distinguished Civilians.

After his initial nine-year term had expired, Mr. James was reappointed by Presidents George H. W. Bush (1991), George W. Bush (2003), and Barack Obama (2016). When he resigned in 2018 to become Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), James was the second-longest serving member of the commission ever, trailing only his long-time friend Sam Angel of Lake Village, Ark. Over the years, James became the heart and soul of the Mississippi River Commission, and his name became synonymous with flood control in the Mississippi valley. James will be remembered as perhaps the staunchest advocate for flood control in the commission’s history. He was also known for his attentiveness to testimony, his solid and reassuring leadership, and his strong professional presence that commanded the room. He was not averse to holding the Mississippi Valley Division or any of its districts accountable to the local people they served.

James’ 36 years on the commission and dedication to water resource issues in the Mississippi valley played an

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integral role in President Donald J. Trump’s decision to select James to serve as the 12th Assistant Secretary of

the Army (Civil Works). James was sworn in on February 5, 2018, and carried his experiences on the Mississippi River Commission to his new position in Washington, D.C. His top priority manifested itself through his mantra of “moving dirt,” his folksy term for efficiently using federal appropriations to deliver the civil works program.

In addition to his 40 years of combined service as a commissioner and Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), the Hon. Mr. James also had a distinguished career as a farmer and businessman. Following the death of A.C. Riley in 2001, Mr. James became a Managing Member of A. C. Riley Cotton Co, LLC, A. C. Riley Land Co, LLC, and A. C Riley Equipment Co, LLC, as well as owning/operating R.D. James Farm: producing cotton, corn, soybeans, and rice.

Mr. James served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association (1993-2001) and served as president of the Association in 2009. He was also a member of the Cotton Producers of Missouri (1999-2005); the Board of Directors of U. S. Bank of Sikeston, Missouri (1981-1995); the Board of Directors of Osceola Products cottonseed oil mill (1984-1997); and the New Madrid County Board of Education (1981-1997), serving as president from 1986-1997. In 2022, Missouri Governor Mike Parson appointed Mr. James to the Governor’s Advisory Committee at the University of Missouri Water Center.

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