COLUMBUS, Ohio –
The Defense Logistics Agency announced the winners of the DLA 51st Annual Employee Recognition Awards Program Dec. 13 in the auditorium of the Andrew T. McNamara Complex at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Columbus secured top honors in seven categories, recognizing six associates and two teams for their outstanding contributions.
Get to know the 2018 Defense Supply Center Columbus and DLA Land and Maritime award winners
Michelle Acord - Rhonda Blum - Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Team - Ben Roberts - Randy Shirey - Harry Salcone, Jr. - Jennifer Russell - MWR Outdoor Recreation Team
Top 10 – Category B
Michelle Acord
Resolution Specialist
DLA Land and Maritime – Maritime Supplier Operations
Citation
Michelle Acord has been an instrumental leader for all Resolution Specialists and is currently the first non-supervisory Chair of the Resolution Specialist Working Group. As RSWG Chair, she has increased total training by 120 percent and streamlined critical workload functions by as much as 75 percent. The direct result of her actions has resulted in the most efficient Resolution Specialist division within the Agency. She always strives for innovative ways to help the warfighter and is committed to the DLA mission and Land and Maritime Way. She is the embodiment of what all DLA associates should aspire to be.
Get to Know Michelle
How long have you worked for DLA Land and Maritime? 7.5 years
How long have you worked for the government? 25 years - 18 years as a reservist/federal technician and 7 years at DLA as a resolution specialist.
What do you like about your job? I really enjoy how my current position dove tails with my previous position with the National Guard. As a federal technician, my job was to order materiel, manage the inventory and report discrepancies. In my current position, I assist the warfighter by ensuring that DLA’s inventory is accurate, available for issue as well as responding to discrepancy reports from our customers. This experience has given me a broad view of the DLA supply chain and has really helped my overall career. I find it very satisfying to be able to make sure DLA’s customers are taken care of and the warfighter is given everything they need to do their job.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? “Bloom where you are planted.” While you may not always love your job, you will not be doing it forever. You should make the most of opportunities given and hopefully exceed expectations while improving the role for the next person to fill the position. People will notice your positive force and you will succeed.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a math and history teacher.
Rhonda Blum
Product Specialist
DLA Land and Maritime – Maritime Supplier Operations
Citation
Rhonda Blum is a natural leader known for her commitment to the DLA mission as evidenced in many continuous processing improvements. Her attention to detail and sense of urgency contributed to team efforts and improved overall Administrative Lead Time by 22 percent and ALT for large contracts by 45 percent. Proficiently skilled in obtaining resolutions for complex issues, she collaborates with Navy customers, Engineering Support Activities, Naval Air Warfare Center, Naval Supply Systems Command and her peers to develop resolutions resulting in approved processes. Blum’s commitment to the mission and dedication to her team set the standard for all other teams within DLA.
Get to Know Rhonda
How long have you worked for DLA Land and Maritime? 12 years
How long have you worked for the government? 16 years
What do you like about your job? I like that I work closely with my team members and several other agencies yet have the capabilities to work independently on projects and problem solve.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? Choose to be happy no matter what. Don’t allow your circumstances or surroundings to control your happiness.
What do you hope to accomplish in 2019? I hope to accomplish finding and assisting many more small businesses through the process of successfully becoming approved sources for our DLA Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment parts.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be an actress or a tap dancer. Since that didn’t work out, the next best thing was to join the Navy and work for DLA.
Medium Team Award
Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment
DLA Land and Maritime
Citation
The Maritime Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Team has developed a reputation of commitment, mission focus and innovative customer support. The Critical Safety and Application Items are extensive in scope and uncompromising in terms of customer expectations. This Team of highly motivated professionals has produced extraordinary results and made a profound impact on DLA's support to the Warfighter through synergy, ingenuity, and resiliency leading to a Material Availability rate of 92 percent for the weapon system and over 90 percent Customer Focused Metrics for the past 12 consecutive months, well above the Performance Based Agreement goal of 85 percent.
Get to Know the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Team
Who are the ALRE team members? Lt. Cmdr. Anas Maazouzi, Gary Guggenbiller, Stephanie McCormick, Jeremy Camarata, Tammy Munro-Reyes, James Duffala, Elizabeth Beechey, Susan Lupo, Kyle Barr, Jana Engels-Stinson, Rhonda Blum, Michael Benson, Jimmy Ray, Stacy White, Matt Doerfler, Alla Yakover, William Palmer, Jennifer McNamara, Alisha Blanton, Marty Augenstein, Laura Hale, Thomas Terry, Miguel Martinez, Laura Stimmel, Natasha Atkinson, Orville Williams, Gary Meyer, Chery Burzynski, Michael DeJournett, John Stover and William Workley.
What does the team hope to accomplish in 2019? Due to the criticality of the ALRE weapon system, the ALRE Team built and maintains a collaborative partnership with both internal and external partners to facilitate open communication and provide the utmost support to the Warfighter. In 2019, we will continue to focus on the initiatives started in 2018 to improve the level of support for one of DLA’s highest priority weapon systems.
The team identified the following strategic goals as critical to the success of the ALRE program:
- alleviate material availability hurdles
- support the warfighter’s priorities
- reduce supply chain vulnerability and exposure to risk
- eliminate single points of failure to operational capabilities
Performing strategic sourcing analysis, the team identified a limited and overburdened manufacturing base as a significant impediment to the ALRE mission. Our plan is to extend on the initiatives implemented to address the obstacles above.
Initiatives included:
- Work with the DLA Small Business Innovation Research and Development Program for innovative ways to address the limited manufacturing base. Four contracts were awarded in Phase 1 of the project, along with additional interest by eight other manufacturers, has already added to our pool of suppliers. Phase 2 of the project is forthcoming.
- Continue to leverage our Industrial Specialist and DCMA personnel to conduct Capability Assessments.
- Build on our partnership with Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center with additional Capability Assessments and Price and Lead Time Analysis on CSI NSNs.
- Strengthen our joint partnership of program managers, logisticians and engineers between DLA, Naval Air Systems Command and both Atlantic and Pacific Naval Aviation Type Commanders to collaboratively identify and develop a pool of new manufacturing sources.
- Continue our “in house” collaboration meetings to resolve issues and develop creative solutions to complex problems.
Additionally, we’re exploring the expansion of organic capacity to include other sites in addition to RIA, such as DOE Oak Ridge Laboratory, etc. and starting the discussion with the Navy on the feasibility of a Performance Based Agreement similar to what we do with 21N.
This Team of highly motivated professionals has produced extraordinary results and made a profound impact on DLA's support to the warfighter through synergy, ingenuity and resiliency.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?
Only stress out over situations you can control. –Stacy White
Focus on what you can do, not what you can't do. –Rhonda Blum
Always look for new and creative ways to solve problems. You can always find something positive in every situation. –Stephanie McCormick
My favorite is both a quote and advice from Air Force Colonel Jeff Lewis, who at the time was 179th Airlift Wing Mission Support Group Commander– “You’re in charge until someone tells you you’re not.” –Jeremy Camarata
What is your favorite quote or inspirational saying?
“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough” by Og Mandino. –Kyle Barr
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" by Sir Winston Churchill –Stacy White
"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion" by Mia Hamm. –Gary Meyer
"The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today." –Rhonda Blum
"Carpe Diem." –Beth Beechey
“Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection we can catch excellence” by Vince Lombardi and “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another” by Napoleon Hill. –Stephanie McCormick
Equal Employment Opportunity Award Achievement in EEO by a Supervisor or Manager
Ben Roberts
Deputy Director
DLA Land and Maritime – Maritime Supplier Operations
Citation
Ben Roberts provides world class leadership and guidance to DLA Maritime Supplier Operations. He leads by example and sets the standards for other leaders to emulate. He has created a positive and fair environment for all and has positively impacted the workforce by hiring, mentoring and assisting associates from minorities and individuals with physical disabilities at various levels throughout the directorate. Roberts has fostered a positive environment conducive to fairness and equality to all employees regardless of background or level by encouraging continuous communication, cohesiveness and serving as a model of excellence. Demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities, Roberts stands for everything a great leader does and what an organization must do to excel.
Get to Know Ben
How long have you worked for DLA Land and Maritime? 20 years
How long have you worked for the government? 30 years
What do you like about your job? There’s a new challenge every day.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? You have to do it all.
Who is your hero? My mom and dad are my heroes.
Installation Support Excellence Awards
DLA Fire Officer of the Year
Randy Shirey
Assistant Fire Chief
DLA Columbus Fire and Emergency Services, Defense Supply Center Columbus
Citation
Assistant Fire Chief Randy Shirey crafted key emergency mass casualty incident action plans for the entire installation, detailing response objectives, multi-agency coordination and incident command options. He led DLA and mutual aid partners participating in a blood draw pilot program through the local hospital for suspected stroke patients. This program became part of the community’s local emergency medical protocols to help save lives. Shirey is a dedicated Emergency Medical instructor, teaching numerous advanced life support, basic life support and CPR classes, dedicating more than 600 hours to fire department staff and DLA employees. He developed and led a self-help project constructing an indoor fire training area using a warehouse section that ultimately saved $400,000. This facility provides the ability to perform year-round training that helps increase fire crew proficiency. In conjunction with mutual aid partners, he combines fire and EMS training for continuity of patient care for installation employees and the surrounding community.
Get to Know Randy
How long have you worked for DLA Columbus? 12 years
How long have you worked for the government? 12 years
What do you like about your job? What I like most about my job is that every day has the potential to be entirely different than the one before. You have busy days, you have slow days, you may fight a fire, you may get to save a life; every day is different. To add to that, you consider the people you work with as your family not just co-workers, it makes getting up and going to work easy. That means a lot to me.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? The best piece of advice was given to me by my first fire service mentors. We were discussing my attendance of a difficult certification class. They said “sometimes in life you have to go where you don’t want to go, to get to where you want to be” and “the only way to guarantee failure is to not try at all.” These small pieces of advice have helped me get to where I am today.
What are your professional goals? My professional goal is to have the positive impact on my firefighters and department as my previous leadership has had on me throughout my career. I’ve had some really strong and positive leaders and some not so strong ones over the course of my career. I’ve learned significant lessons on what to do and most importantly what not to do from both ends of the spectrum. If I could put all of these lessons together, implement positive change, ensure a safe work environment and have a positive effect on my department and personnel, I will consider my career a success.
What did you want to be when you grew up? As I was growing up my father was a firefighter, I spent most of my childhood in a fire station. I was fascinated with the fire trucks, bright lights, sirens and excitement. One of my first memories was telling my father I wanted to be a firefighter when I grew-up.
DLA Supervisory Police Officer of the Year
Harry Salcone, Jr.
DLA Police Captain
DLA Columbus Division of Police, Defense Supply Center Columbus
Citation
Harry Salcone, Jr. readily accepted the challenging position of Administrative Chief while performing his regular duties as a Watch Commander supervising 32 direct reports. Salcone established the “Action in Excellence” awards program recognizing police work that often goes unnoticed. His methodical organizational skills helped him to create a database called “Police Metrics and Discussion Points.” This database assists supervisors with the DOD Performance Management and Appraisal Program process by allowing the supervisors more time with their officers and less time conducting administrative tasks.
Get to Know Harry
How long have you worked at DSCC? 10 years
How long have you worked for the government? 14 years
What do you like about your job? I love the people, I love our global mission and I love being able to serve others.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? My family had the courage to break free from oppression and leave Italy. Working in the steel factories and supporting businesses, both the men and women of the family served our country with great honor and sacrifice during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Both my grandfathers taught me to serve others, work hard, be the best version of myself and get all the education that you can. I hope that I’ve made them proud. I was the first to graduate college in my family, honorably served in the United States Air Force Security Forces and continue to serve America as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer at DLA supporting the global operations of the Warfighter.
Who is your hero? My wife, Lee Elizabeth Salcone, is the bravest person I know followed by every person I work with – they’re all heroes in my eyes!
If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? I would want to heal the hearts of mankind and restore balance spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially – with special care and protection for the innocent.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I love spending time with my sons, Anthony and Christopher. Pizza and movie nights with my family are among my favorite. I also enjoy riding my Harley Davidson.
MWR Excellence Awards
MWR Program Management
Jennifer Russell
Marketing Manager
DLA Columbus - Morale, Welfare and Recreation, Defense Supply Center Columbus
Citation
Jennifer Russell’s exceptional service and relentless drive to improve the quality of the customer experience at DSCC MWR impacts the success of every DSCC MWR program. DSCC MWR programs’ success hinges on information being available to customers accurately and across a wide range of mediums. Russell grew the DSCC MWR digital presence to include Instagram, multi-phased digital displays and “MWR Video” production. Additionally, the DSCC MWR webpage leads the MWR enterprise in the number of hits by fivefold. Russell also increased sponsorship and advertising funding by 349 percent and improved the tracking log and renewal agreement process.
Get to Know Jennifer
How long have you worked at DSCC MWR? 9 years
How long have you worked for the government? 12 years
What do you like about your job? There’s so much to love about my job! First and foremost, it’s an honor to serve our nation’s warfighters, their families and our civilian workforce who supports them. I also love that this job is a blend of creative and logical work. Much of what I do falls into the realm of design and content development, but I also spend quite a bit of time on planning, budgets, statistics and analytics. This keeps me balanced!
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? I have a hand-drawn picture in my office that my son created for me that includes the quote “Do something great today.” So simple, but it reminds me why I’m here, to be the best employee, the best mom, best spouse, the best person I can be. Every day is a new opportunity to try to be that.
What do you hope to accomplish in 2019? I’m really excited about a program we’re launching in 2019, in partnership with our Environmental Division, called EcoPromises. We’re identifying areas within our MWR programs where we can be more eco-friendly and implementing those changes starting in 2019. Reducing our environmental footprint has been a goal of ours for some time. By thinking outside the box, we came up with some innovative ideas for our programs, along with opportunities for our customers to be more eco-friendly at home and at work.
What do you like to do in your spare time? One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is practice yoga. I initially started doing yoga for fitness, but the practice brought me to places that taught me mental strength and flexibility, adaptability, equanimity, mindfulness and how to be in tune with my environment.
MWR Facility/Program Excellence
MWR Outdoor Recreation Team
DLA Columbus - Morale, Welfare and Recreation – Outdoor Recreation
Citation
The DLA Columbus MWR Outdoor Recreation Team made significant improvements in operations that resulted in 752 percent growth in the program. In April, ODR debuted their new Rental Center store front operation, allowing customers to view and interact with rentable equipment in a professional showroom environment. The implementation of a new color-coded equipment tag system resulted in increased efficiency in the rental check-in/check-out process and a significant decrease in refunds due to faulty items. The new exterior check-in/check-out system allows complete rental center transactions to occur on the dock, creating a quick and convenient process, reducing customer wait time and increasing labor efficiency. The team improved its online presence with the addition of available resources. The team hosted “voice of the customer” surveys, resulting in the purchase of new travel trailers, bounce houses and towable grills. These efforts proved successful as sales grew by 42 percent. The team also improved the Buckeye Lodge check-in/out process with streamlined digital key boxes, providing 24/7 accessibility.
Get to Know the MWR ODR Team
MWR ODR Manager: Darren Wagner
Who are the ODR team members? Matthew Roark - Mechanic, Bruce Behnke - Equipment Maintainer, Jordie Nye - Recreation Aid and Milena Ramos - Recreation Aid
What does the team hope to accomplish in 2019? The team hopes to continue growth by adding new items to the rental fleet that will include pontoon boats and more bounce houses as well as additional hard top pop-up campers. New in 2019, the Outdoor Adventure Program will offer getaway golf camping trips and monthly kayak excursions.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?
The best piece of advice wasn’t actually said to me but taught to me over a long working relationship with Jeffrey Bills, PGA Golf Pro and DSCC Eagle Eye Golf Course manager. Working hard, making every customer top priority and treating everyone with the same amount of respect makes any team or business successful. This is something I learned working for Jeff dating all the way back to high school in the cart barn at Westchester Golf Course. I was lucky enough to get hired on six years ago as his first assistant at Eagle Eye and I’m now able to continue that great working relationship as his counterpart managing the Outdoor Recreation program. – Darren Wagner
What is your favorite quote or inspirational saying?
My favorite quote is from Henry Ford - “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Milena Ramos