By, Suzanne Heinen, Foreign Agricultural Service Acting Administrator
Foreign Agricultural Service Acting Administrator Suzanne Heinen (left) stands with William Bomersheim of the Office of Trade Programs who received the Excellence in Leadership and Management Award during the FAS Honor Award Ceremony on Jan. 31. Bomersheim was one of dozens of FAS employees honored during the ceremony for their outstanding achievements in 2011. (Photo By Bob Nichols, USDA)
On Jan. 31, we recognized the outstanding contributions Foreign Agricultural Service employees made to American agriculture in 2011 during the annual FAS Honor Awards Ceremony.
Dozens of our best and brightest were honored in ten different award categories. Both teams and individuals were recognized for their critical thinking skills, innovation, commitment to customers and fellow employees, dedication to the FAS mission, and more.
Around the world, the American brand is surging in popularity. Last fiscal year, U.S. agricultural exports reached a new high of $137.4 billion, contributing to the record trade surplus of $42.7 billion. And our trade capacity programs are paying dividends all around the globe.
It is FAS employees that helped make this happen. Their work and exemplary efforts have made agriculture one of this country’s economic bright spots year after year. I am humbled and honored to work with such outstanding individuals. In every aspect of FAS’ endeavors, our commitment to excellence benefits those we serve and support - U.S. farmers, ranchers, exporters and the American people. On their behalf, I offer my thanks.
For a complete list of winners, see below.
2011 Foreign Agricultural Service Honor Award Ceremony Winners
Civil Rights Leadership Award
Mark Thompson
Excellence in Administrative Support Award
Tammy Nye
New Delhi Administrative Team - Mona Kapoor and Radha Mani
Tom Stefani Distinguished International Service Award
Jessica McCoy
Margaret (Maggie) Rhodes
Gary Soiseth
George Stickels
Excellence in Leadership and Management Award
William Bomersheim
Tim Rocke
Outstanding Cross-Agency Team Award
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee - Agricultural Trade Advisory Committees Renewal Team - Casey Bean; Steffon Brown; Lenora Butler; Lorie Fitzsimmons; Brian Grunenfelder (Office of the U.S. Trade Representative); Jacqueline Joyner; Marianne McElroy; Ron Lord; Patrick Packnett; Tim Rocke; Connie Simpson; Bob Spitzer; Peter Tabor
Russia World Trade Organization Accession Team - Morgan Haas; Wanda Haxton; Kristina Horgan; Olya Lutchyn; Daniel Martinez; Aileen Mannix; Stephanie Murphy (Office of the U.S. Trade Representative); Elle O’Flaherty; Scott Reynolds; Chris Riker
Outstanding Customer Service Award
Truong Minh Dao
Excellence in Achieving Strategic Objectives Award
Global Bioenergy Partnership Team - Raffi Balian (U.S. Department of State);
Gerry Ostheimer; Renee Schwartz; Paul Trupo
Success Story and Database Team - Lisa Anderson; Jose Flores; Nancy Hubbell; Brenda Lawson; Meyra Mendoza-Reeder; Ingrid Mohn; Aduke Murdock; Mary Ponomarenko; Lona Powell; Elaine Protzman
Trade Adjustment Assistance Management Team - Pete Burr; Joyce Grace; John Rice
Foreign Agricultural Service Acting Administrator Suzanne Heinen (left) stands with recipients of the Excellence in Achieving Strategic Objectives Award (from left to right) Peter Burr, John Rice and Joyce Grace during the FAS Honor Award Ceremony on Jan. 31, which recognized the outstanding achievements of FAS employee in 2011. Both teams and individuals were recognized for their critical thinking skills, innovation, commitment to customers and fellow employees, dedication to the FAS mission and more. (Photo By Bob Nichols, USDA)
Excellence in Reporting Award
Japan Disaster Impacts Reporting Team (Tokyo Group Award) - Sumio Thomas Aoki; Jennifer Clever; Hisao Fukuda; Yuichi Hayashi; Midori Iijima; Noriko Ishii; Kenzo Ito; Akiko Kashiwagi; Yasuko Marui; Chika Motomura; Tamiko Narisawa; Jeffrey Nawn; Juri Noguchi; Kakuyu Obara; Masayuki Otsuka; Suguru Sato; Steve Shnitzler; Geoffrey Wiggin, Stephen Wixom; Sachiko Yoshida
European Union-27 Locally Employed Staff Grain Team - Xavier Audran; Stefano Baldi; Ornella Bettini; Mila Boshnakova; Monica Dobrescu; Bob Flach; Marta Guerrero, Agata Kingsbury; Steve Knight; Roswitha Krautgartner; Sabine Lieberz; Jana Mikulasova, Ferenc Nemes; Asa Widebäck; Barrie Williams
Innovation and Alternative Thinking Leading to Positive Change Award
Clay Hamilton
Alan Riffkin
Length of Service Awards
5 Years
Marcos E. Caraballo Velez; Melissa Shea Fraser; Mark Adrian Freeman; Gabbriel E. Frigm; Laura Jean Geller; Erica C. Johnston; Tani S. Lee; Olya Lutchyn; Denise Ann McWilliams; Michael Vernon Michener; Jess K. Paulson; Jeffrey R. Porter; Lilly T. Simmering; Adriane Smith; Harold Vernon Tarver; Michael J. Ward; Susan R. Wentzy; Andrew M. White
10 Years
M. Tawhid Al-Saffy; Tomasa Gab Bolanos-Ponce; Jennifer M. Duncan; Chris David Frederick; Omar Gonzalez; Nestor Gregory; Jameika L. Henderson; Kristina Boughton Horgan; Sarah W. Librea; Josephine S. Liu; Evelyn Lorenzini; Khaliaka S. Meardry; Julie A. Morin; Christopher Swenson; Peter V. Tabor; W.H. Elizabeth Wong Lee
15 Years
Hesham Abuelnaga; Terence W. Albrecht; Ilah K. Barnes; Peter Benson; Latoya M. Cooper; Mirna J. Ferreiro; Otto J. Gonzalez; Natalie Penderg Gravette; Robert H. Hanson; Erich Kuss; Emel Jenkins Lyons; Elizabeth Mello; Peter C. Northrop; Curt A. Reynolds; Michelle Parker Sharrow; Diane Wray-Cahen
20 Years
LaQuita Rochelle Abbey; Jared K. Burnett; Monica L. Cooke; Roseanne E. Freese; David C. Greaser; Joseph L. Hain; Wilhemina Leake; Cynthia F. Lee; Florence D. Luchok; Barbara E. Nedd; Susan Bock Phillips; Kimberley Sue Reid; Kevin Lamont Sage El; Keith D. Schneller; Amy Haught Slusher; Gary H. Smith; Jeanette Smith; Shani M. Zebooker
25 Years
Margaret M. Bauer; Yvette Wedderburn; Bomersheim; Joseph M. Carroll; Joel D. Chetrick; James P. Crutchfield; Randall J. Hager; Pamela R. McKenzie; Ophelia F. Johnson; Emiko Miyasaka Purdy; Bobby G. Richey Jr.; Paulette C. Sandene; Christine M. Sloop; Tamoria S. Thompson; Gwendolyn P. Toler; Virginia Wolf; Gregg P. Young
30 Years
Elise Pinkow Arena; Peter W. Burr; Ross G. Kreamer; Allan P. Mustard; Eugene P. Philhower; Edwin H. Porter; Scott R. Reynolds; Sylvia R. Ruiz; Geoffrey W. Wiggin
35 Years
Debra H. Anderson; Hedy Armstrong; Pamela M. Chapman Sherard; Francine Radler
40 Years
Larry D. McClain El; Phyllis A. Smith
