Megan Prather
Staff Writer
The 72nd Civil Engineering’s newest engineering directorate director, Stephanie Wilson, firmly believes people are the mission and that it’s her duty to make sure they have the resources they need.
Wilson retired from the Air Force in May 2017 after 24 years of service and her last duty station was 72nd Air Base Wing commander. Her military background also includes positions with headquarters tours at the Air Staff and major command levels, base command as a civil engineer, mission support group commander and as senior military assistant to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Energy.
After retiring from the Air Force, Wilson volunteered with the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Oklahoma County, where she helped tutor people to pursue their GED, as well as served as executive director for the Midwest City YMCA.
Wilson returned to Tinker Air Force Base in December 2019 as CE’s executive director and leads the organization in managing Tinker’s energy programs, community planning and the 19-million square feet of installation itself.
“My mission as the director is to make sure that the people that are doing the job in this organization have the resources that they need, the guidance, the direction and understand our priorities because we do have a limited amount of resources, so we need to know where to focus that attention,” Wilson said. “Another part of my job is to make sure that the customers we’re serving are being heard and have confidence that we will provide quality, safe facilities and infrastructure that meet their mission needs.”
Nathan Suida, the “burn boss” from the Wildlife Fire Center, San Antonio Wildland Fire Module, left, speaks with John Krupovage, 72nd Air Base Wing Natural Resources; Keith Buehler, 72nd Civil Engineering installation management division chief and 72nd Civil Engineering Director Stephanie Wilson during a prescribed burn at the Scissortail Trails area Feb. 13. Wilson oversees all aspects of civil engineering on Tinker, ranging from the Tinker Fire Departments, roads and facilities across the installation to the natural preservation of the base. (U.S. Air Force photos/Kelly White)
Wilson said CE is developing their goals for the year behind 72nd ABW Commander Col. Paul Filcek’s priorities for the wing, which are “secure the future, defend this house, raise this family.”
She said that other priorities for CE include being a good partner with Balfour Beatty Communities on the road to provide quality housing to Airmen, dealing with fiscal challenges and strategically and transparently handling CE’s list of facility requirements.
“We have a lot of challenges looking into the future,” Wilson said. “Facility funding remains constrained, so it is more important than ever that we have a sound infrastructure investment strategy that focuses our efforts and drives our decision making. .”
Wilson said CE executed over $96.5 million in facility funding last fiscal year but we have over $340 million worth of facility requirements on our integrated priority list.
“One of my other priorities is to really help the organization strengthen its identity as an organization to know who we are and where we’re going and how to work together to get there.”