WASHINGTON -- NAVSEA honored recipients of the 2016 Presidential Rank Awards and the newest members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) cadre in a ceremony, June 12.
Both NAVSEA Commander Vice Adm. Tom Moore and Executive Director Jim Smerchansky hosted the ceremony.
“The Presidential Rank Award is our government’s highest civilian award for superior performance, and the process to get there is extensive,” said Moore.
The award process can take more than 10 months to work through multiple layers and vetting. “Less than five percent of all SES will receive the Meritorious Rank Award, and less than one percent will achieve the Distinguished Rank Award,” said Smerchansky.
This year five NAVSEA SES employees received the Presidential Rank Award.
The following were named 2016 Presidential Ranks Award winners:
-- Meritorious Rank Award
Mr. William (Bill) Deligne, formally Executive Director NAVSEA, currently the Deputy Director, SPAWAR Atlantic
Mr. Michael Gutermuth, Director, Shipbuilding Contracts Division
Dr. William (Bill) Luebke, Technical Director, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme
-- Distinguished Rank Award
Mr. Brian Callender, Director, Reactor Refueling Division
Donald McCormack, Executive Director Naval Surface and Naval Undersea Warfare Centers
Following the award presentations, Moore and Smerchansky welcomed the 12 newest members of the SES cadre to the stage to be recognized.
New Senior Service Appointees:
- Dr. Peter Adair (SL), Littoral and Mine Warfare Mission Engineer, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City
- Mr. Joseph Hellmann (SL), Undersea Acoustic Superiority Technical Advisor, Ship Design and Engineering
- Ms. Melissa Smoot (SL), Submarine Integrated Power Technical Advisor, Ship Design and Engineering
- Mr. Michael Breslin, Executive Director Undersea Warfare Directorate
- Ms. Dianne Costlow, Technical Director, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona
- Ms. Stephanie Douglas, Executive Director, Navy Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk
- Mr. Eric Duncan, Director for Ship Integrity and Performance Engineering, Ship Design and Engineering
- Ms. Melissa Kirkendall, Director Production, Deployment and Fleet Readiness, Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems
- Mr. Michael Roberts, Director Development and Integration, Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems
- Mr. Brett Seidle, Technical Director, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane
- Ms. Heidi Sheridan, Director Reactor Plant Components and Auxiliary Equipment Division
- Mr. Douglas Vaughters, Director for Aircraft Carrier Design and Systems Engineering, Ship Design and Engineering