DCA Staff

Jim Rausch, Executive Director

Jim Rausch has been serving as the Executive Director of the Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) since September 2003. One of  Jim’s primary objectives as Executive Director of the Association has been to strengthen DCA’s relations with its members, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other Federal agencies, the Congress, and DCA’s sister organizations.  A second major objective has been to demonstrate the critical role the dredging industry plays in contributing to America’s economic strength and national security.  Much of his effort has been to work for authorizing legislation favorable to the industry and for increased funding for Corps navigation projects. 

Jim worked for the Corps of Engineers for over 31 years at both the district and Headquarters levels.  He retired as the Chief of the Office of Congressional Affairs serving as principal staff advisor to the Chief of Engineers for all legislative and congressional activities across the entire Corps Command.   His responsibility was to provide management, direction, and internal coordination of Corps congressional affairs activities involving Civil Works, Military Programs, and the Support for Others programs. One of his primary functions was to improve communications with Congress and to gain a better understanding of congressional issues that impacted the Corps.  

Jim Rausch began his career with the Corps in the Baltimore District after completing a Masters Degree in Geography from the University of Maryland.  Partly because of his love for the Chesapeake Bay, he took a job as a geographer with the Corps Chesapeake Bay Study working on a number of water resources study efforts in concert with state and federal agencies and coordinating the public involvement program.  

In 1982, Jim accepted a position in Corps Headquarters in the Flood Plain and Coastal Zone Management Branch of Planning.  After arriving in the Headquarters he held progressively more responsible positions.  This included a one year congressional fellowship with the American Political Science Association on Capitol Hill where he served first as Executive Director of the Great Lakes Task Force on the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition, then as legislative assistant with Congressman Eckart of Ohio.  

Jim also served at the Corps as Assistant Director of Civil Works for the Upper Mississippi Basin and Great Lakes.  In 1989, he became Principal Infrastructure Coordinator for the Director of Civil Works and Executive Secretary of the Corps Infrastructure Task Force.  Shortly after that he served as the Headquarters Coordinator for the Corps privatization initiative known as the “Partners for Environmental Progress”. In 1991, Jim was selected to head up the Legislative Initiatives Branch in Civil Works where he had responsibility for management and coordination of all actions relating to water resources authorizing legislation.  At that time, he served as the principal Civil Works point of contact for coordination with House and Senate public works committees, and had primary lead on the development and defense of the Army Civil Works Legislative Program which traditionally becomes part of water resources development acts. 

Jim is married and he and his wife, Diane, have two daughters.  They reside in Severna Park, Maryland. 

Barry Holliday,
Technical Director

Barry Holliday is currently working for the Dredging Contractors of America as Technical Director.  Mr. Holliday recently retired from the Corps of Engineers after a 33-year career.  His most recent position with the Corps was Navigation Program Manager in Headquarters, Washington, D.C. and Chief of the Navigation and Operations Community of Practice in the Operations Division, Headquarters.  In 1991, Mr. Holliday came to Corps headquarters from Wilmington, North Carolina, where he served as Chief of the Navigation Branch in the Construction-Operations Division of the Wilmington District from 1977 to March 1991.  From 1973 to 1977, he worked in the Dredged Material Research Program at the Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Mr. Holliday received his B.S. degree in Geology from the College of William and Mary in 1969, and obtained his M.S. degree in Oceanography from Old Dominion University in 1971.  He attended Texas A&M University from 1971-1973 in advanced graduate studies in marine engineering and geological oceanography.  While serving in Corps Headquarters, Mr. Holliday served as the North American representative to the International Navigation Association Communications Commission.  He has served on the Board of Directors of the Western Dredging Association, and was a member of the Committee on Tidal Hydraulics.  He participated in the development of the interagency National Dredging Team and served as Co-Chair.  He also participated in the development of the Industry Corps Hopper Dredge Management Group and served as Co-Chair.  Mr. Holliday has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles, papers, testimonies and reports throughout his career.  He has received numerous awards and recognition for his performance, including a Gold Medal Award from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Meritorious Civilian Service Award from the Department of the Army.

Michael Gerhardt II,
Deputy Director of Internal Operations & Analysis

Michael M. Gerhardt II currently serves as the Deputy Director of Internal Operations and Analysis for the Dredging Contractors of America (DCA).  Michael collaborates with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the dredging industry in the regular review and analysis of the Corps’ hopper dredge database and produces the DCA Annual Report entitled “Analysis of Dredging Contracts Awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers”, highlighting market trends at both the regional and district levels.  Michael spearheads the planning for a wide range of meetings, including the DCA Annual Meeting, the DCA Congressional Reception, quarterly Industry-Corps Hopper Dredge Meeting Group (ICHDMG) meetings and Board of Directors meetings.  Michael also calculates the membership dues and annual budget, while closely monitoring the financial health of the organization throughout the year.  He has responsibility over the general management of the DCA office and website, attends and represents the association at official meetings and events, serves as manager for specifically assigned projects, and assists the Executive and/or Technical Director in any issues affecting the industry. 

Prior to coming to work for the DCA in August 2003, Michael, a native Floridian, graduated with honors from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, where he earned degrees in both International Management and Italian Literature. Upon graduation, Michael received the Dean’s Citation and the William J. Usury Award for Academic Excellence in Negotiation, Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Michael and his wife Simona currently reside in the Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District of Washington, D.C.