Engineer Kevin Sprague says 'Goodbye' after 30 years (18 Photos)

After a 30 year career serving the Soo Locks, US Army Corps of Engineers Area Engineer Kevin Sprague’s last day on the job will be Thursday, June 30.

“I am clearing out my desk and getting things organized for Operations Manager Leighann Ryckeghem,” Sprague said. “They are changing the former title to 'operations manager.'” 

The soon to be retired area engineer devoted his entire career to the navigation industry, donning many different hats along the way. 

After working as a project engineer fabricating armor components for military vehicles in the private industry, Sprague took a federal position with the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1992. 

“I worked as part of a hydrographic surveying crew,” said Sprague.

He conducted survey work on the Army Corps of Engineers' James Bray and Derrick Boat Nicolet to later become Assistant Chief of the St. Marys River Branch.

“I was able to work on a wide range of projects from vessel maintenance to maintenance of the navigation channels, in addition to surveying and marine construction,” Sprague said. 

Shortly thereafter, he became Chief of the Lock Operations Branch in 2000 to eventually head Soo Lock maintenance and operations. 

“In 2010, I was selected as the Sault Area Engineer,” said Sprague, who went on to lead staff members in Soo Locks operations and maintenance for the next 12 years. “It’s the most important and largest navigation project in the Great Lakes – the Soo Locks.”

Sprague deployed his skills throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula into the St. Marys River Federal Navigation Channel and Sault Ste. Marie hydroelectric power plants, along with thirteen harbors and off-shore channels. 

“I was the onsite representative for the International Joint Commission’s Lake Superior Board of Control,” said Sprague, who spent an unspecified amount of time and effort supporting the economic study for construction of a new Soo Lock.

“I emphasized the importance of the Soo Locks as the lynchpin and single point of failure for the Great Lakes Navigation System,” he said.

Sprague was recognized by many in the navigation industry as an exemplary leader.

“I worked closely with US and Canadian shipping companies, and industry groups,” said Sprague, who also excelled at mobilizing the necessary resources to manage scheduled and unscheduled lock outages and/or channel closures to mitigate stakeholder impacts. “I engaged with US Army Corps of Engineers leadership and navigation users including local, state, federal, and bi-national groups and agencies to communicate navigation impacts.”

To begin his career, Sprague graduated from Lawrence Technological University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Michigan state licensed professional engineer.

“I will continue to live in the Upper Peninsula,” Sprague said. 

He and his wife, Penny, hope to enjoy their future together upon retirement. 

“I plan on fishing, hunting, traveling down south, seeing some hockey games, and maybe heading to the desert southwest,” said Sprague. 

Children Selina Sprague and Nicholas Sprague were both raised in the Sault.

Sprague’s daughter recently graduated from Lake Superior State University (LSSU), while his son currently studies at the university. 

Memories of the last 12 years will remain. 

“We have had some interesting things go on in the community on a large scale,” said Sprague. “We engaged in a physical exercise, where we built a bridge across Sugar Island to Garden River with the local Army National Guard unit. It was an exercise for emergency operations.”

When Algoma Steel leaked oil into the St. Marys on June 9, Sprague remained in direct communication with US and Canadian coast guards to shut down river flow. Thus, preventing oil from spreading into Michigan waters.

US Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District Chief of Operations Marie Strum had a lot to say about her co-worker prior to his retirement.

“I’ve known Kevin for 22 years,” said Strum. “That’s my entire career. Kevin has been with us for 30 years, from June of 1992 to June 2022. He has been an outstanding leader. He had a vision for our office here. Kevin has led us through some very challenging times over the last 12 years. This is a well deserved retirement.”

A retirement party was held for Sprague at Three One Three on Ashmun Street Thursday, June 16.

An array of community members, co-workers and friends attended to bid him fairwell, including Sault Ste Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Linda Hoath and Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Don Gerrie.