Thoughts on a progressive government career: A spotlight on Cherry Point’s director Kevin Taylor

If one would ask Kevin Taylor the keys to his success in his federal career, he would say to take every opportunity to grow and seek out new challenges.  Taylor, who is now the director at Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Cherry Point, N.C., didn’t start out in that job – he started as a temporary worker at the Naval Aviation Depot in Cherry Point in 1984.

Through his hard work, he was selected for a permanent position the following year in the Inventory Department at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.  “My first boss at MCAS, Lois Griffin, greatly influenced my career,” Taylor said.  Griffin was a retired Marine with a strong sense of leadership and work ethic.  She quickly became Taylor’s mentor, and encouraged him to work hard and challenge himself with new assignments until she retired in 2004.

Taylor continued to progress through the ranks, assuming positions with increased levels of responsibility, until 1997 when he became the supervisor of the Inventory Integrity Division at DLA Distribution Cherry Point.  In 1998, he volunteered to serve on the team that prepared Cherry Point for the implementation of DLA Distribution’s main warehousing system, Distribution Standard System.  He was also instrumental as a cadre member for the A-76 competition, and in writing the performance work statement for the Preservation, Packing, Packaging, and Marking satellite sites imbedded in the local Naval Aviation Depot.  “I never missed an opportunity to grow and seek out new things,” he said.  “This led me on a steady path of professional improvement.”

In 2001, Taylor was promoted to deputy commander of Cherry Point.  “Becoming the deputy was one of the most challenging points in my career,” he said.  At the conclusion of the A-76 competition in 2001, Cherry Point was one of eight of DLA Distribution’s locations that became contractor-operated.  “I had to transition from managing a federal workforce to working with a new contracted workforce and company, at the same time I became the deputy.  This was a new experience, not only for me, but the entire command staff and Continuing Government Activity members.”

Taylor assumed additional duties as the contracting officer representative, where he worked closely with the transition team at DLA Distribution headquarters, the personnel office, Cherry Point employees, and the incoming contractor to assure a smooth transition from a government-run activity to a contractor-operated facility.  “This was one of the most interesting periods of my career,” he said.  “I had to help establish new ways of conducting business and perform quality control oversight of the service provider to continue our outstanding customer service for the warfighter.”