Grand Rapids appoints Benjamin Rance as new emergency manager

Grand Rapids appoints Benjamin Rance as new emergency manager

Published on July 21, 2025

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The City of Grand Rapids has named Benjamin Rance as its new emergency manager, succeeding Allison Farole, who departed earlier this year to lead the State of Minnesota's Emergency Management Division.

Rance brings more than a decade of experience in emergency management, disaster response and community resilience to the role. Most recently, he served as a program manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he led national-level preparedness initiatives and supported cities across the country in building their emergency management capabilities.

"We're excited to welcome Ben to Grand Rapids," said City Manager Mark Washington. "Given the frequency of extreme weather events and other potential threats to community safety, we are fortunate to have a highly qualified person like Ben assist in community resilience efforts by planning for, responding to and recovering from disasters."

During his time with FEMA, Rance managed an annual resilience program budget exceeding $500,000, delivered more than 300 interactive trainings and coordinated preparedness efforts with over 100 city emergency managers nationwide. He also has extensive disaster deployment experience, including supporting recovery efforts in North Carolina during Hurricane Helene in 2024.

Fire Chief Brad Brown, who oversees the City's emergency management division, welcomed Rance to the role, "Benjamin brings a wealth of knowledge and boots-on-the-ground experience that will greatly benefit our City's preparedness and response capabilities," said Fire Chief Brad Brown. "His leadership and collaborative approach are exactly what we need to continue strengthening partnerships across agencies and ensure Grand Rapids is ready to meet today's evolving challenges centered around natural, technological, human-caused and public health emergencies."

Rance previously held leadership roles with the U.S. Peace Corps and served as a Spanish-language medical interpreter in Michigan. He holds a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management and Geography from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Spanish from Western Michigan University.

"I am honored to join the City of Grand Rapids as its emergency manager," Rance said. "I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place and working alongside local partners to ensure our city is prepared, resilient and ready to protect all members of our community during times of crisis."

Rance begins his role with the City August 4.

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