Fort Belvoir, VA –
Editor’s Note: This is one of six stories featuring 2022 DLA Hall of Fame inductees. A ceremony highlighting their contributions to the agency will be held Aug. 17 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex.
Kathryn Fantasia, former head of direct delivery fuels for Defense Logistics Agency Energy, is a member of the 2022 DLA Hall of Fame.
Fantasia began her 23-year career at DLA in 1991 as a GS-3 with the Defense Fuel Supply Center. Moving up the ranks, she became a division chief and contracting officer in Direct Delivery Fuels from 2000 to 2006. From 2006 to 2007, she served as the contracting director for the bulk petroleum.
Fantasia was the director of DLA Energy’s Direct Delivery Fuels Directorate from April 2007 to her retirement in 2014. She provided contracting advice to all levels of the organization and advocated for major reforms that changed the way DLA Energy conducts business. She managed acquisition programs worth over $2 billion in annual sales that support military and federal ground fuel requirements around the world.
In addition, she was named the executive advisor to the commander in 2011. This position was the senior ranking GS-15 position among more than 20 GS-15s throughout the organization.
“Fantasia was hand-selected for this post because of her demonstrated leadership, exceptional business acumen, sage insight of the DLA Energy business, and effective ability to turn requirements and challenges into success and mission accomplishment,” according to her nomination.
She created fuel solutions for U.S. forces in Operation Enduring Freedom by establishing relationships with new vendors in remote areas and arranged fuel supplies for devastated locations after earthquakes and hurricanes.
“As an expert contracting professional highly regarded by her peers and colleagues, Fantasia was continuously sought after for her expertise and mentorship in building a top-quality contracting team within DLA Energy,” according to her nomination. “The confidence and empowerment she instilled in her team continues to be the foundation for successful mentoring to this day. Many of the leaders currently holding positions within DLA Energy were former employees/leaders under Fantasia and were recognized as outstanding under her tenure.”
Fantasia was named to the DLA Energy Hall of Fame in 2018.