The 6th Annual AFN Awards Ceremony was held at 1pm (CST) on August 1, 2018 via webcast in the Aeronautical Center’s HQ rm. 148, while the physical ceremony was held in Washington D.C. The program opened with the Presentation of Colors by the Military District of Washington and the National Anthem sung by Jessica Anderson (AEM-530).
Mark House, Acting Assistant Administrator for Finance and Management emceed the program. He talked about the importance of having events like this, because they allow us to pause, gather as one organization and celebrate our achievements while acknowledging the values that make us members of one AFN organization. Sixty-four award nominations were received among 11 different categories. The nominations represented stories of teams working to alleviate the aftermath of natural disasters; dedicated project managers working tirelessly toward training the educational needs of an entire workforce; and stories of operational excellence that have not only improved our business, but have had a positive influence on the health and well-being of our employees.
Dan Elwell, Deputy Administrator of the FAA provided opening remarks at the event. “Thanks to everyone here today, and those on the web who continue to support the agency’s mission,” said Administrator Elwell. He recognized the efforts of many employees who are willing to think “out of the box,” collaborate, and devote a tremendous amount of time and energy to improving government. Whether it’s working with big data, enhancing NextGen, working with drones, or demonstrating fiscal excellence, Administrator Elwell emphasized that the work we do is important. It is important to evolve, and set the standard, make time for education and professional development. He expressed his appreciation to everyone for providing outstanding service to our nation.
Karen Gahart, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Financial Services, Sean Torpey, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Information and Technology, Nathan Tash, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Acquisitions and Business Services, and Kevin O’Connor, Deputy Director of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center helped to present all of the awards. When recognizing some of the award winners at the Aeronautical Center, Kim Sheppard, Manager of the Quality Systems and Business Resources Staff provided commentary through the webcast, recognizing some of the award recipients on site during the ceremony.
To add local appreciation to the Center’s AFN Award winners, during a recent visit to the Center on August 13, 2018, U.S. Representative Steve Russell was able to personally congratulate many of the winners.
Congratulations to several Aeronautical Center employees for their individual contributions in strengthening our partnerships with our customers and with one another:
Award for Integrity and Leadership as a Manager – Amy Helm, Manager in the ATS Microcomputer Branch (AML-4040)
Amy is recognized for her leadership as part of the FAA Logistics Center in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security’s Custom and Border Protection (CBP). She played a key role in the deployment of Relocatable Towers, a new tool for CBP to use in combating human trafficking and the smuggling of contraband into the United States. Amy led the development of requirements, procurement documents, vendor selection and sites, as well as helping to deploy new border security measures. She led the successful positioning of a new microwave and Remote Maintenance Monitoring systems in New Mexico; systems that are responsible for sending camera images from towers to a centralized Command and Control Center.
Thomas Gore, FAA Logistics Center’s Program Management Office (AML-044) wins award for Customer Focus (Individual)
Thomas Gore takes a vested interest in the Logistics Center Support System (LCSS) user community and makes sure that all LCSS users are successful in supporting the Air Traffic Organization’s mission.
When LCSS customers needed training, Thomas logged over 450 hours in the classroom, teaching 144 training sessions to more than 1,000 LCSS users. When LCSS stakeholders could not meet face-to-face to attend training, Thomas delivered 20 separate distance-learning sessions to reach 120 field engineers and technicians to ensure they received the training they needed. And, when LCSS users needed training on their schedules, Thomas developed 6 different training videos for on-demand training, available 24/7.
Thomas has improved the customer experience with LCSS by serving on many multifunctional integrated teams, and his efforts have corrected and improved more than 120 complex customer processes, making LCSS a better and easier application for customers. Thomas always anticipates the next best issue for LCSS users, and works with his customers to make LCSS better……and at its core, this is what being customer focused is really all about.
Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) / Team (Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Radar Assessment (TETRA) wins AFN Award for Customer Focus (Team)
Fifteen employees among three different divisions AMA-512, AMA-520, and AMA-405 comprise the N90/TETRA Team – Kenneth Kurdziel, Todd Poole, Mark Howard, Scott Kelley, Dallas Schrems, Robert Enos, Thomas Foster, Neal Wilson, Clint Windon, Robert Mizell, Rich Roman, Perry Bryan, Gary Thomas, Michael Pierce and Blain Hodgen.
Many of FAA’s level 10-12 TRACON facilities are at critical staffing levels, and the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (known as N90) is no exception. This facility’s staffing levels have dipped below 50%, so an N90/TETRA Team was formed. TETRA represents the Ten, Eleven, Twelve Radar Assessment. Their training objective was to bring off-the-street hires, train them quickly and thoroughly so that they could start their on-the-job training at their assigned facility. This team took training way beyond the basic air traffic control level, working with high volume air traffic facilities to duplicate the complexities of the airspace to develop complex curriculum, create progressively challenging scenarios, and build approach plates and 3D graphics. This team is exceptional, as they completed the project in just 4 months, while also accomplishing their day-to-day instructional and development tasks! The TRACON/TETRA team is to be commended for completing these highly complicated tasks in a timely manner while maintaining the high integrity of training and staying focused on the customer.
Todd Fields, Business Partnership Manager to AVS (APS-120) wins AFN Award for Efficiency (Individual)
Todd Fields is definitely a “go to” guy. We all know a person who is deemed to be a “go to” guy/gal.
It’s the person you contact when you need help or are in a bind. You pick up the phone, send them an email, shoot them a text, or just yell down the hall, and say, “Help!” and that person comes through when you need it the most.
Flight Standards needed a “go to” guy to support the massive re-organization AFS was undertaking. Todd dealt with all the issues that popped up with every IT system that supports Aviation Safety Inspectors. He came through and made the difference for a successful transition for AFS. AVS leadership stated, “Todd contributed to our success by consistently bringing his best attitude and extensive IT knowledge to the project.”
Todd also tracked more than $34M in external funding from AVS for IT enhancements of AVS systems. This was a painstaking exercise in which he tracked almost 100 External Funding Agreements for incremental funding for IT support, so that all of the monies committed, were spent on AVS leadership priorities. Todd is an employee who understands the mission, uniqueness, and nuances of the AVS customer. He leads the AVS Portfolio Team responsible for examining AVS’ IT needs holistically. He has immersed himself in understanding the AVS portfolio, and advises AVS management on IT improvements to increase efficiency and save the agency money to support the safety mission.
Stephanie Schroeder, Occupational Safety and Health Staff (AMP-100) wins AFN Award for Organizational Excellence (Individual)
Stephanie Schroeder is the lead Occupational Safety and Health Specialist for the Aeronautical Center (MMAC) and manages an array of programs and initiatives to prevent, identify, and resolve safety issues.
Through her leadership, the MMAC reduced its incident rate by 29% in 2017, and continues to maintain an extremely low injury rate. Stephanie’s role in managing the MMAC’s Safety Stand Down program, provided more than 110 opportunities in 2017 to engage employees in discussions about workplace safety. She has implemented quarterly safety inspections throughout all of MMAC. Stephanie also oversaw Safety and Health program efforts to evaluate aircraft maintenance and repair tasks in MMAC’s aircraft maintenance hangars to ensure safe work processes. As a result of these efforts, 48 task evaluations and job hazard analyses were completed for the aircraft maintenance engineering group.
Stephanie applies her passion for safety and health beyond MMAC by chairing the Oklahoma Field Federal Safety and Health Council, and serves on the Oklahoma Safety Council Board of Directors.
Air Worthiness Branch (AMA-250) wins AFN Award for Organizational Excellence (Team)
This 10-person team from the FAA Academy’s Airworthiness Branch is comprised of Ross Petersen, Stephen Carbone, John Gunter, Raymond Habrock, David Hopson, Lonnie Jeffcoat, Rahdames Villafana, Barry Watson, Bill Watts and Kenneth Working.
Upon taking the Employee Engagement and Q12 surveys, the FAA Academy’s Air Worthiness Branch team quickly learned that they had several opportunities for improvement. They began looking for ways to improve how they felt about the team. Applying principles on interdependence, critical thinking and consistency, they created an effective, active planning session. They realized they could improve on their core competencies and as a result, achieved several unexpected outcomes. Their quality of work improved and processes became streamlined. For instance, they began using the same publications in several course offerings. Just this one change alone, forecasts a savings of over $37K. They provided outreach to industry partners, demonstrating that certain FAA courses were available to them. Soon, training was provided to several aviation safety inspectors within the commercial airlines industry, resulting in $45K in travel savings. More work continues to arise, like requests from the Dominican Republic CAA for desired aircraft courses. New maintenance courses are being developed, like the one for FAA Attorneys regarding policy regarding maintenance records and record keeping. As a result of this teams’ improved engagement, work life is improving, there are more efficiencies, employee retention is better, and the employees agree that it is a great place to work.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Surveillance Systems Improvement Team (AML-4010) wins AFN Award for Operational Excellence (Team)
Team members include: Jennifer Seymour, Ray Griffin, Chris Robinett, Gary Miller, Kevin Oaks, Robert Raymond, Craig Fishbein, Bryan Scagnetti, Amy Helm and Curtis Malone.
This 10-person team from the FAA Logistics Center’s Operational Service Branch not only provides superior logistical and engineering services, but their efforts reach nationwide in helping to protect our country. Because of their outstanding work, they have secured a significant financial commitment from this customer for the FAA, so that future work can be continued. Working from a ten-year interagency agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, this team provides logistical and engineering support of the systems used by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to detect and stop any unauthorized entry of contraband and personnel along our nation’s borders. In this partnership, the Logistics Center supports the Remote Video Surveillance System (RVSS) for the CBP; a system that involves a day and night vision camera suite, mounted on top of a tower with feeds going to a Command and Control Center. The team created new systems (like the VIPER and a Remote Maintenance Monitoring System) to help keep CBP’s systems operational. Because of this team’s operational excellence, the CBP Border Patrol Agents can have a better visual on perpetrators, and can coordinate deployment to trouble spots while enhancing their interception capabilities.
The Unix and Networking Concepts Team (AMA-422) wins AFN Award for Innovation (Team) Team members include: Todd Luliak and Miguel Soares
This two-person team of FAA Academy instructors, working in the EnRoute Automation Section have driven innovation by using available technologies to improve the delivery of Technical Operations training. Todd Luliak and Miguel Soares have integrated BlackBoard technologies into the FAA Academy training environment for Distance Learning purposes. They have also developed Unix and Networking Concepts for a National Airspace System course, helping to reduce costs and streamline processes. By combining these resources, they have been able to reduce a 168-hour resident course by combining just 40 hours of instructor-led distance learning and 80 hours of resident instructor led training. As the Academy student volume increases, this innovation allows the Academy to maximize the mission by training more students at a reduced cost, which presents a $360,000 annual savings. Not only did Todd and Miguel develop the curriculum, but they designed, procured and installed all the lab equipment!
