Mark Palmer, P.E., is the founder and CEO of Mission Green Infrastructure, bringing more than three decades of civil engineering leadership—and a distinguished military engineering background—to the advancement of sustainable stormwater solutions. His career spans the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public agencies, private consulting firms, and major regional infrastructure projects, all reinforcing his commitment to practical, high‑performance Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI).

Mark’s professional journey began in the U.S. Army, where he served nearly six years as a Corps of Engineers Officer. His assignments included the 20th Engineer Battalion (Combat), the Eagle Support Brigade S‑4 at Fort Campbell, and the Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he served as National Emergency Management Director and Chief of Logistics. He completed extensive military training—including Engineer Officers Basic and Advanced Courses, Infantry Officers Advanced Course, Airborne School, Atomic Demolition Munitions, and Contracting Officer Representative training—and earned two Army Commendation Medals and one Army Achievement Medal.

After completing his military service, Mark joined Pierce County Public Works as an Engineering Technician, earning his Professional Engineer license while drafting roadway designs. He went on to manage projects for Envision Engineering Services and Bruce Dees & Associates, contributing to park road systems, wetland mitigation design, stormwater treatment strategies, and innovative infiltration solutions for synthetic turf fields. As owner of Essayons Consulting Engineers, he led the design and construction of the Western Washington University tennis courts, a technically complex project built atop an underground detention vault.

His leadership continued at Leroy Surveyors & Engineers, where he delivered cost‑effective sanitary sewer solutions for large subdivisions and oversaw hundreds of active development projects. At KPFF Consulting Engineers, Mark expanded his influence as an educator, presenting statewide seminars on permeable asphalt, warm‑mix asphalt, and quiet pavement technologies.

Mark’s expertise in stormwater management deepened during his tenure as Stormwater Engineer and later as City Engineer for the City of Puyallup. There, he administered NPDES Phase II compliance, guided major capital improvement programs, secured multimillion‑dollar grants, and championed low‑impact development practices across city operations. Under his leadership, Puyallup earned national recognition from the EPA as a leader in Green Stormwater Infrastructure, a statewide award for best pervious concrete project and an award from WSDOT for adaptive traffic signals in the small projects category. He also played a key role in developing the first APWA‑adopted porous pavement specifications and contributed to major restoration efforts, including Clarks Creek, Silver Creek, and Meeker Creek.

Following senior roles with HDR and Sound Transit—where he managed transportation, utility, and design‑build coordination for the Federal Way Link Extension—Mark launched Mission Green Infrastructure in 2026. His work today centers on helping local governments and project teams adopt porous pavements and other GSI strategies that deliver long‑term environmental and economic benefits.

Mark lives in Puyallup, Washington with his wife, Ellen. He is the proud father of four and grandfather of seven, and enjoys racquetball, razor clam digging, and traveling when he’s not advancing the future of sustainable infrastructure.