FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2002
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND ATLANTIC MEDIA GROUP CONGRATULATE THE 2002 SERVICE TO AMERICA MEDALS AWARDEES
Washington, D.C. – The Partnership for Public Service and the Atlantic Media Group, co-founders of the annual Service to America Medals (www.govexec.com/pps), are proud to announce the 2002 Service to America Medals awardees. A complete list of the nine federal employees honored appears below.
The Service to America Medals were created this year to recognize the national achievements of federal civil servants.
This year's winners were selected by a committee of distinguished national leaders with a strong commitment to public service: Judy Woodruff, anchor, CNN; U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich; U. S. Representative John Lewis; Kay Coles James, director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management; C. Boyden Gray, chairman of Citizens for a Sound Economy and former counsel to President George H.W. Bush; The Honorable Louis Caldera, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, California State University; M. Peter McPherson, President, Michigan State University; Colleen Kelley, president, National Treasury Employees Union; Bernard Marcus, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, The Home Depot, Inc.; Jeffrey Swartz, CEO, Timberland Company; Timothy B. Clark, editor and president, Government Executive; and Max Stier, president and CEO, Partnership for Public Service.
The nomination period for the 2003 Service to America Medals will open February 1, 2003. Nominations must be submitted online at www.govexec.com/pps.
2002 SERVICE TO AMERICA MEDALS AWARDEES
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR MEDAL - $10,000 prize ($5,000 each) Name: William L. Fleming and Ben H. Herren Position: Fleming: Special Agent; Herren: Investigative Research Specialist Agency: Federal Bureau of Investigation Location: Birmingham, Alabama Achievement: Brought to justice two of the men responsible for the infamous 1963 bombing of an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama, nearly 40 years after they had committed the crime.
HERO OF SEPTEMBER 11TH MEDAL - $5,000 prize Name: Kenneth Concepcion Position: Chief of US Flag Deepdraft Vessels and Plan Review Agency: US Coast Guard Location: Staten Island, New York Achievement: Directed the safe and orderly seaborne evacuation of 70,000 confused and frightened people from Lower Manhattan amidst the chaos of the September 11 attacks.
CALL TO SERVICE MEDAL - $5,000 prize Name: Rachel Billingslea Position: Foreign Policy Specialist/Israel Desk Officer Agency: US Department of Defense Location: The Pentagon, Washington DC Achievement: In her three years of federal service, she has played a leading role in developing national security policy to improve relations with a key US ally.
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL - $5,000 prize Name: Katherine Gebbie Position: Director, Physics Laboratory Agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland Achievement: The founding director of the award-winning NIST Laboratory, a pioneer in the practical application of emerging technologies, has helped enhance scientific career opportunities for women and minorities through a lifetime of service.
ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MEDAL - $3,000 prize Name: Donald Sweeney Position: Senior Regional Economist Agency: US Army Corps of Engineers Location: St. Louis, Missouri Achievement: Saved taxpayers $1.5 billion in unnecessary construction projects after refusing orders to improperly falsify data.
JUSTICE MEDAL - $3,000 prize Name: Robert Rutherford Position: Criminal Investigator/Group Supervisor Agency: United States Customs Service Location: Miami, Florida Achievement: His initiative, leadership and ability to organize multi-agency personnel into a cohesive unit led to a reduction in narcotics trafficking and crime in South Florida.
NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS MEDAL - $3,000 prize Name: Alfred League Position: Division Chief, Imagery and Geospatial Sciences Agency: National Imagery and Mapping Agency Location: Bethesda, Maryland Achievement: His technological innovations provide American military personnel with real-time information they need to ensure operational success and protect our national security.
SOCIAL SERVICES MEDAL - $3,000 prize Name: Daniel Weinberg Position: Division Chief Agency: Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, US Census Bureau Location: Suitland, Maryland Achievement: Led the development of an improved measure of poverty which more accurately reflects the needs of the poor; this will help leaders effectively target resources toward improving economic well-being.
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The Partnership for Public Service works to revitalize our federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works.
