NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, MD: In a ceremony held on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at the Pentagon Auditorium, eight Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) individuals and teams were honored with Department of the Navy (DON) Acquisition Excellence Awards (AEA).
The annual awards recognize individuals and teams who have made exceptional contributions in promoting competition and innovation throughout the acquisition lifecycle for Navy and Marine Corps programs.
“The NAVAIR team had strong representation across several categories again this year, including program management, international partnerships, competition excellence and innovation excellence,” said Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, NAVAIR commander. “These individuals and teams exemplify the behaviors and approaches that will enable us to deliver the warfighting capability the fleet needs at a cost we can afford – thinking differently, focusing on outcomes, forging partnerships, and continuously adapting, innovating and learning.”
The NAVAIR winners recognized in the DON AEA awards are:
Program Manager of the Year — ACAT III/IV:
- Capt. Larry Smith, Propulsion, F-35 Joint Program Office
Product Support Manager of the Year — ACAT I:
- Ed Henderson, Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems (PMA-273), Program Executive Officer (PEO) Tactical Aircraft Programs (T)
Product Support Manager of the Year — ACAT II & Below:
- Terry Duggan, Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Program Office (PMA-213), PEO(T)
Acquisition Professional of the Year — Contracting:
- Lori Frame, Procurement Group, PEO Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (U&W)
Acquisition Professional of the Year — Test & Evaluation:
- Matthew Fernandes, Strike Planning and Execution Systems Program Office (PMA-281), PEO(U&W)
International Partnership Acquisition Award:
- F-35 FMS New Business Team, International Directorate, F-35 JPO. Team members: Jessica Danyo, Gary Biscoe, Sherika Hinton and Catherine Kachman
Competition Excellence Acquisition Team of the Year:
- Sonobuoy Acquisition Team, Air Anti-Submarine Warfare Systems Program Office (PMA-264), PEO Air, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Mission Programs (A). Team members: William D. Fleming, Brittney F. Davis, Tierney C. Buzzeo, Kenneth D. Sherman, Da’Net Sturdifen, Lisa Troccoli, Brian D. Ackerman, Michelle E. Johnson, Jan B. Roth and Peter J. LeStrange
Innovation Excellence Acquisition Team of the Year:
- AV-8B ELEMENT 13 Team, AV-8B Weapon Systems Program Office (PMA-257), PEO(T). Team members: Karl William Moheiser, Chris Gundlach, Chad Lee Anderson, Damion S. Carrington, Jeff B. Conger, Jay G. Lyons, Mack E. Mullen, Kevin Vogan, Jeff Hotchkiss and Bobby Phillips
“Individual and team award winners, and nominees, should be very proud of your accomplishments. Thank you for your dedication and hard work in making every dollar count. Your contributions to acquisition excellence are felt in your commands and across the fleet,” said Frederick Stefany, acting assistant secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition).
Stefany continued, “Each of the nominees displayed the ethos of acquisition excellence we as a department have come to expect from our leaders and teams, and our winners represent the best of the best. Increasing productivity, leveraging competition, improving innovation and superior professional acumen were all hallmarks of these outstanding individuals and teams as they worked on what matters most—support to our warfighters.”
Watch a video of the ceremony below.
