RICHMOND, Va. –
Steve Kelly, program manager within Defense Logistics Agency Aviation’s Engineering Directorate’s Sourcing and Reliability Programs Branch, was recognized for 50-years of federal service during a small ceremony Dec. 6. on Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia.
Kelly got his first federal job working at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972 at the age of 17 years old. Since then, his federal career has taken him to places like Subic Bay, Philippines; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Memphis, Tennessee; Stockton, California and finally to DLA Aviation in Richmond where he’s worked since 1994.
He began his career with DLA Aviation as a supervisory product quality specialist, before joining the Engineering Directorate in 2001 as the chief of the Sourcing and Reliability Programs Branch.
In 2008, Kelly took on his current role as the program manager for the Replenishment Parts, Purchase or Borrow Program. This program enables private industry to come and either rent or purchase parts from DLA stock for the purpose of reverse engineering.
“Steve is the enabler of that function, he’s the salesman, he’s the program promoter, he’s the middleman, he’s the liaison and everything in between,” said Will Cary, branch chief of the Engineering and Technology Division within the DLA Aviation Engineering Directorate.
Engineering Division Director Floyd Moore said he’s been impressed by the amount of knowledge Steve possesses and his ability to think and solve problems.
“A person with 50 years of experience has a lot of wisdom that has allowed this organization to grow,” Moore said.
Cary said Engineering has gone through some changes since Kelly came over 14 years ago. He said they now have an online catalogue and expanded the parts display room. Cary went on to say Kelly’s hard work and dedication have paid off in huge saving to the American taxpayers, to a tune of close to $43-million dollars in total procurement savings.
“Every day is a different day. There’s not one place that I’ve worked where I wasn’t satisfied. The people have been great all the places I’ve worked,” Kelly said.