Each year we have the opportunity to recognize some of our employees and teams performing at the highest level, collectively making outstanding achievements while also demonstrating unwavering dedication to our entire workforce. On July 12th, the FAA Awards were held in Washington D.C. in the Quesada Auditorium. We are delighted that so many Aeronautical Center employees were showcased, signifying their ability to go above and beyond what is required of them. We couldn’t be more proud of our employees and their ability to advance the FAA mission in countless ways.
The Environmental and Sustainability Achievement Award recognizes an employee or team for outstanding achievement and significantly strengthening or enhancing the FAA’s environmental and energy stewardship. The Aeronautical Center’s Russ Goering, a general engineer and the Center’s Energy Manager (working in the Office of Facility Management) knows how to set the example across the entire DOT of how to put a robust energy plan together. Russ has ensured that our 1,100-acre facility exceeds federal sustainability goals, year after year. Last year, the MMAC became the first DOT organization to receive the ISO Ready Certification for creating an extensive Energy Management Plan under his leadership. Through a variety of initiatives, he helped the Center achieve over $700,000 in utility cost savings in just last year alone. He also helped to certify 17 sustainable buildings on the Center, making it home to 60% of the FAA’s sustainable buildings. Russ also helped the Center break ground on the DOT’s largest solar farm last year. Once completed, it will generate enough electricity to offset nearly $200,000 of the Center’s annual electric bill. His commitment is paying dividends to DOT and the taxpayer. Today, the MMAC utility intensity is less than half of what it was in 1995, and water use has dropped by 43% since then - in large part due to Russ’ efforts.
The Golden Wings Administrative Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of an employee in the G-pay band or equivalent and below. The employee consistently demonstrates a dedication to administrative excellence through their substantial contributions to the organization’s overall success - above and beyond their normal job performance. Congratulations to Laurie Owens, a Management Assistant for the Instructional Design Team, AJI-2340. Laurie is the single point of contact for the Tech Ops Distance Learning Program. It is a program that encompasses all distance learning and requires employees to have access to the program no matter where they are located. The demand for this and access to these courses continues to remain a significant need and Laurie has played an integral role in supporting this endeavor.
The Golden Wings Professional or Technical Service Award recognizes outstanding achievements in the H-pay band or equivalent and above. The employee consistently demonstrates a dedication to professional or technical excellence through their substantial contributions to the organization’s overall success above and beyond their normal job performance. Congratulations to Ben McCarley, a Mechanical Engineer with the Radar Technical Program Support Team, AJW-L910. Ben is the only full-time equivalent mechanical engineer assigned to the Radar Production Group. He has helped to ensure the continuing support of aging systems in the face of diminishing commercial repair services. Ben helped the radar production group develop process improvements that have resulted in gained efficiencies and reduced costs.
The Partners in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Award recognizes an employee or team demonstrating exemplary actions toward achieving outstanding results or encouraging diversity, equity, inclusion, and civility.
Sherri is a member of an extraordinary team who received this award. She and the team rose to the challenge in developing the 2022 National Civil Rights training conference and for airports agenda, additionally contributing to imparting many of the best practices on diversity, equity, and inclusion and accessibility that the agency implements on a daily basis. Such information is shared with airport sponsors, their consultants, and stakeholders. Sherri’s contributions to this highly talented cross-functional group were instrumental in developing a meaningful agenda that aided in enhancing all aspects of diversity, equity, and civility. This team also identified and assured that a highly talented and expert speaker cadre was coordinated and scheduled to contribute to this subject area. This team was responsible for planning a conference for over 1,000 attendees. They planned the content and managed all the logistics behind the scenes, making it a seamless event. Keeping in line with their mission, these team members ensured that the traditional agenda for the nation’s airports complied with the civil rights laws.
The Aerospace Innovation Award recognizes an employee (or team) who significantly enhances the FAA’s ability to develop or integrate the next generation of technological design or infrastructure advances in Aerospace.
Christopher Morris, a Pilot Records Database Program Manager, AFS-810 is a member of the 50-person Power Lift Rulemaking Team, AVS. Congratulations to Christopher and the team for demonstrating an innovative approach to integrating new stakeholders into the national aerospace system. Their efforts embody how agencies should approach innovation in the National Airspace System (NAS), by rethinking the traditional approach of rulemaking. Team members developed an operational framework to allow entry into service when the first power lift aircraft receives its type certificate. This is a request which the industry has been asking for, for years and this team was able to pull it off. Using a special FAA regulation allows for simultaneous integration of aircraft into the NAS, while allowing movement to more permanent rulemaking or powered lift. Congratulations to Christopher and the team for challenging long-held assumptions to find a solution that paves the way for the operationalization of Advanced Mobility Aircraft and the safe integration of new technology into the NAS. We appreciate everyone’s efforts in accomplishing all of this in record time.
Congratulations again to all of our dedicated federal employee award winners as each of you play a vital role in making our transportation system better, each and every day.
