COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Eight Columbus employees and two teams garnered top honors in the 53rd Annual Employee Recognition Awards announced by the Defense Logistics Agency. Due to current health guidelines, employees received recognition via a virtual ceremony that is scheduled to be released later this month. As part of that recognition, DLA Land and Maritime is highlighting several Columbus recipients each week. The first group includes two Land Supplier Operations associates and a safety and occupational health specialist. Click here for the full list of Columbus award recipients.
DLA Top Ten Employee: Ryan Collier
Length of Service: 11 years
DLA’s Ten Outstanding Personnel of the Year Award provides a highly visible means for the DLA Director to recognize deserving superior performers in every segment of the Agency’s workforce. Performance recognized by this award is highly exemplary and inspirational to others and contributes significantly toward accomplishing DLA’s overall mission and improving the quality of operations.
Ryan Collier distinguished himself by exceptionally representing Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime as the Agency Synchronization Operations Center representative and as an acquisition specialist supervisor with DLA Land and Maritime’s Land Supplier Operations Directorate. Collier’s nomination write-up noted he is “a dynamic and innovative leader with a laser-focused warfighter first approach,” and credited him as a consummate team player who welcomed increased responsibilities.
In his capacity as an acquisition specialist supervisor, Collier developed and integrated a sustainable and repeatable process that resulted in exceeding time-to-award goals by 28% within the Engines Integrated Supply Team. Superior procurement and acquisition knowledge provided Collier with the opportunity to serve as Land Supplier Operations’ enhanced Joint Certification Program focal point. In this role, he worked with vendors applying for enhanced JCP certification and with DLA’s Logistics Operations who initiated this new program. He assisted vendors in navigating the application process and developed a synchronization process to elevate applicants for our top priority purchase requests. His direct efforts enabled Land Supplier Operations to clear a backlog of 56 enhanced JCP applications, which directly decreased the directorate’s time-to-award.
Collier was selected as DLA Land and Maritime’s ASOC representative – serving from February through August of 2020. While serving in this capacity he coordinated supply chain information impacting the entire DLA enterprise to include the MSCs, monitored the enterprise dashboard for trends and abnormalities and collaborated with the MSCs to determine causes and actions.
Collier also served as the Land Culture Council president at a critical time when Land Supplier Operation endeavored to improve its culture based upon Denison Survey results. He led the development of the culture action plan and presented key strategies to leadership for approval. A key feature of the plan was ‘Give and Get’ sessions between the different job disciplines. These sessions were designed to add breadth and depth to employee knowledge regarding all acquisition and sustainment disciplines. This effort facilitated bridging the communications gap between all disciplines and identified opportunities to improve overall coordination of team members to deliver improved customer centered outcomes.
Achievement in Equal Employment Opportunity by a Supervisor or Manager: Don Schulze
Length of Service: 30 years
DLA’s Achievement in Equal Employment Opportunity by a Supervisor or Manager Award recognizes the integration of workforce development, and demonstrated leadership and commitment to EEO by a supervisor or manager within their sphere of influence.
As deputy director for DLA Land and Maritime’s Land Supplier Operations Directorate, Don Schulze leads his large team of more than 370 logistics professionals while embracing the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity not only within his team but throughout Land and Maritime. His nomination citation noted his “tireless efforts as a long-standing senior mentor for current and future women senior leaders, his champion duties for the Disability Employment Special Emphasis program, his leadership and influence within Toastmasters as well as his efforts to treat everyone with dignity, mutual trust and respect set the standard for all DLA leaders.”
Schulze’s achievements include being named a three-time Distinguished Toastmaster – the highest award within Toastmasters International – and district director for Toastmasters International leading members in 180 clubs across parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. As a well-respected DLA Land and Maritime manager, Schulze supports the Agency’s EEO Compliance and Commitment by proactively participating in EEO programs, initiatives and special emphasis events. Not only does he encourage his fellow managers and supervisors’ participation in EEO-sponsored events and activities, Schulze has taken on the role of champion for the Disability Employment Special Emphasis program. He is actively involved in planning and executing events that raise awareness for individuals with disabilities. He is proactive at resolving allegations of discrimination and willingly participates in facilitated discussions and alternative dispute resolution of EEO Complaints of Discrimination, with a win-win solution in mind. He has a strong relationship with the Union, serving as chief management negotiator for local agreement updates and reconstitution plans related to the ongoing pandemic.
Schulze is a role model and mentor – taking it upon himself to develop colleagues and employees through mentoring, coaching and instructing opportunities. Among his mentorship successes, Schulze mentored four women in the Level III mentoring program for leaders and all four have since received promotions. Schulze actively participates in leadership development events sponsored by the Leadership Development Association of Land and Maritime. In his capacity as a Distinguished Toastmaster, Schulze has served as a speaker, trainer, master of ceremonies and panelist for a variety of employee developmental activities and EEO programs. He personally works to improve access and participation for targeted groups within Land and Maritime. Schulze not only exhibits EEO principles, but he lives them. Having lost the vision in his right eye, he uses accommodations to manage the vast Land supply chain and encourages others to do so as well, when confronted with the need to do so. Schulze shared his personal story of losing his sight during DLA Land and Maritime’s 2020 National Disability Employment Awareness Month observance.
DLA Safety Professional of the Year: Cecil McQuain
Length of Service: 6 years
As a DLA Land and Maritime Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Cecil McQuain advises leaders and supervisors on implementation of the safety programs synchronized with the three lines of effort: mishap investigation and reporting, safety and occupational health inspections and hazard management, and training and awareness.
McQuain’s nomination packet stated his “commitment to improving the safety of not only DLA but also his community is a demonstration of a true safety professional.”
McQuain managed the Mishap Investigation and Reporting process for Land and Maritime and DLA activities assigned to Defense Supply Center Columbus. In this capacity, he oversaw 57 accident investigations comprised of injury, near-miss and property damage cases. His effectiveness in mishap prevention was realized when comparing 2018 mishap data to 2019. Land and Maritime reduced Occupational Safety and Health Administration recordable mishaps by 75%, Days Away Restricted or Transferred by 78% and First Aid cases by 5%.
The coronavirus pandemic swiftly manifested an urgency to protect the DLA workforce by hazard identification and control procedures. McQuain worked with all the DLA activities on DSCC, assisting them with incorporating risk management into their reconstitution plans as well as for emergency essential positions requiring physical presence during the pandemic. His contributions impacted a variety of functions including the Child Development Center and fitness center operations, ceremony event planning and police procedures.
McQuain is a certified playground inspector assisting Installation Management at Columbus in maintaining a safe environment for children by completing quarterly playground inspections at the Child Development Center.
His work experiences vary from working in construction to a Master-at-Arms in the Navy, coupled with his safety and occupational health expertise, enable him to deliver captivating safety training and briefings full of relatable examples. McQuain spearheaded the addition of safety and occupational health into every quarterly Director’s Call throughout Land and Maritime. He solicited topics of interest, developed presentations and delivered briefings. McQuain is also a motorcycle safety instructor certified through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, Motorcycle Ohio Rider Education and Rider Academy.