After just a few months as head of the state’s Emergency Management Agency, Ryan Nicholls is leaving to resume his former role in southwest Missouri.
The 36-year-old Nicholls, who has six children, cited a desire to return back home with his family.
“As we started to work through the transition of the family with the home changes, and even the family’s and a lot of the activities the kids were accustomed to," Nicholls said. "It was just thought that ‘you know, maybe this just isn’t quite the right time for us to do this.'"
Today will be his final day in Jefferson City, before returning to again lead the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management, a post he previously held for seven years.
Nicholls says his short stint as director allowed him to gain a unique perspective of the state’s ability to coordinate support for local response in disaster situations.