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News | May 12, 2023

2023 DLA Hall of Fame inductee: Thomas Daley

By Nancy Benecki DLA Public Affairs

Editor’s Note: This is one of six stories featuring 2023 DLA Hall of Fame inductees. An induction ceremony will be held 2 p.m. May 18 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex auditorium at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The ceremony is open to all DLA employees; invitations are not needed.

Thomas Daley, former deputy director of the subsistence supply chain at Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, is a member of the 2023 DLA Hall of Fame.

Throughout his 36-year federal career, he held several key roles including chief of the pharmaceutical team at the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, chief of several industrial hardware commodity business units at the Defense Industrial Supply Center, and chief of the contract review, pricing and policy office at DISC.

As the deputy director of the subsistence supply chain, Daley managed the acquisition and worldwide support of food and food service equipment. When he retired in 2016, the supply chain averaged about $4.2 billion in business annually.

He created the Manufacture Price Agreement program, which established upfront pricing agreements between DLA Troop Support and food manufacturers and ensured the best prices for customers while expediting the addition of new items to customer catalogs. The program is still used today.

Under his leadership, DLA implemented the Subsistence Prime Vendor contract in Afghanistan, and he helped resolve contractual issues that threatened $1.4 billion in contracts that provided food daily to over 150,000 joint and coalition service members.

Daley had a two-pronged approach to developing the acquisition team. He filled vacancies while simultaneously developing a long-term professional development plan. The strategy ensured DLA Troop Support’s workforce remained stable by maintaining an acquisition team that was experienced, empowered, skilled and accountable, according to his nomination.

In employee testimonials, DLA Troop Support Chief of Staff Robert Ratner said Daley postured DLA for a brighter future supported by those he mentored.

Geneva Polini, the former deputy director of the medical supply chain at DLA Troop Support, added that Daley supported her when she was promoted to be a senior leader.

“I often found myself to be the only woman in the room. Tom was consistently the leader who went out of his way to create an inclusive environment, allowing me to contribute to the group more comfortably. He was a role model as a supervisor, treating his workforce with respect and integrity,” she said.

Daley was inducted into the DLA Troop Support Hall of Fame in 2020.