Federal Managers Association

FMA Working for You

• FMA CONGRATULATES ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS - April 1, 2020
• The Federal Managers Association is proud to announce the winners of the Association's highest honors and awards. On March 30, we recognized Ken Westlake of FMA Chapter 375 (Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, Illinois) as FMA's 2019 Manager of the Year. Now, we present the winners of the Gil Guidry Award, the President's Award, the Odell Green Award, FMA's Super Recruiter, and the top regional recruiters of new members. We hope that shining a light on these deserving public servants and sharing a little bit of their stories will help boost everyone's morale in these trying times. FMA is certainly impressed with their accomplishments and thankful for your service to our country and the Association.
  
  
  Gil Guidry Award 2019 Winner: Sue Thatch, Chapter 21, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina
   
  The Gil Guidry Award is presented to the outstanding Federal Managers Association Chapter President in memory of the late Gilbert N. Guidry, former President of Chapter 4, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, whose leadership represented the finest tradition of service to the United States of America and to the principles of FMA.
  
  
  In recognition of excellent leadership and dedication to FMA, Gil Guidry Award winners receive a Life Membership in the Association, a plaque, and his/her name engraved on a perpetual plaque displayed at the National Office.
  
  
  This year, we are proud to recognize Sue Thatch, President of FMA Chapter 21, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina, winner of the Gil Guidry Award.
  
  
  Sue has been a member of the federal workforce since 1989, beginning her career in drafting, moving to engineering as a technician, then on to logistics.
  
  
  Sue has been a driving force for Chapter 21 and FMA for many years. She is a strong supporter of FMA legislative initiatives and conveys that information to the Chapter members. She actively encourages participation and involvement through FMA grassroots efforts.
  Nothing can illustrate her leadership and success more than the passage of the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, which created disabled veteran leave in the federal workforce. This law originated in her head because she saw a need in the workforce. She voiced that need, which made its way to the FMA national office, into FMA's legislative agenda, and was taken to Capitol Hill. Once Members of Congress took interest, Sue served as a technical advisor as legislation was drafted, and helped the grassroots effort to build support, culminating in unanimous passage by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Signed into law in 2015, disabled veteran leave has helped more than 45,000 federal employees in its first five years.
  
  
  Thank you, Sue, for all of your contributions to Chapter 21, FMA, the Marine Corps, and protecting America's interests at home and abroad!
  
  
  President's Award 2019 Winner: Chapter 6, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
   
  This award recognizes a chapter in the Association that has displayed outstanding leadership and service to its facility, community, agency, and nation during the past year.
  
  
  The 2019 winner of the President's Award is Chapter 6, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard - AKA the Wolf Pack. Chapter 6 exhibits camaraderie, an admirable team-spirit, pride in their shipyard - the U.S. Navy's oldest continuously operating shipyard - pride in the U.S. Navy and its role in national security, and pride in Team FMA.
  
  
  Chapter 6 does its part to foster the next generation, and awards scholarships to a minimum of eight students each year who are enrolled in secondary education. This year they awarded twelve. The chapter encourages all members to apply for scholarships and is proud of its tradition of supporting continuing education among its chapter members and their families.
  
  
  Chapter 6 is very active in its local community, making a positive impact on many people. One example is their annual golf tournament, which raises funds to support the Caravan of Toys. These donations go to families in need on Christmas, across Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, as well as welfare departments, Boys & Girls Clubs, the Salvation Army and Children's Homes. In 2019, the tournament raised $4,200 - a new record amount.
  
  
  The Wolf Pack is also the biggest donor to Operation Give a Gobble, a cause that provides families in need a full and traditional Thanksgiving meal. Chapter 6 donates resources and time to help fundraise, grocery shop and deliver baskets. In its first year they were able to assemble 21 baskets along with a $30 Gift Card. It has grown significantly and last year they prepared for more than 130 families. Many of the meals go to families in the Kittery, Eliot and Portsmouth areas. The rest were delivered to Fleet Family Services who provide dinners for families from Kittery to Bangor.
  
  
  Chapter 6 is heavily involved in FMA-PAC and has attended numerous events for Representative Carol Shea-Porter and other representatives and senators in Maine and New Hampshire. Earlier this month, FMA Director of Government and Public Affairs Greg Stanford attended a lunch on behalf of Senator Susan Collins, who represents Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. During the lunch, Senator Collins brought up FMA's hard fought victory to block the 2014 Department of Defense cuts to long-term TDY per diems. Senator Collins - and the other Senators in the region - worked tirelessly with FMA on that issue. She heard from Chapter 6 frequently on the issue, and this is just one example of the positive impact of Chapter 6's advocacy on Capitol Hill.
  
  
  It is with great honor that we present Chapter 6 - the Wolf Pack - with this year's President's Award. Congratulations, and thank you for all your great work on behalf of FMA, the U.S. Navy, and your local community!
  
  
  Odell Green Award 2019 Winner: Christine Parker, FMA National Secretary, Chapter 121 Member, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
   
  This award recognizes excellence by a member of the National Executive Board in the preceding year. It was established in memory of Odell Green who performed exemplary service for FMA. Odell served for two years as the Zone 8 President and was former president of Chapter 16, Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California. He passed away in 1992.
  
  
  The 2019 winner of the Odell Green Award is Christine Parker, FMA National Secretary.
  
  
  Christine retired from the federal workforce after a distinguished career of selfless service to our country working for the U.S. Air Force. She is a member of FMA's Air Force Caucus and has been an FMA member since January 1998. She now holds a Life Membership.
  
  
  As National Secretary, Christine is responsible for taking minutes at all executive board meetings, and she is diligent and sharp with the task. She also oversees FMA elections and leads the Resolutions Committee. As Resolutions Chair, Christine has been responsible for leading the team that reviews resolutions to be considered at FMA's national conventions.
  
  
  She also volunteered to lead FMA's Scholarship Committee, soliciting funds to award to deserving next generation scholarship winners.
  
  
  In addition, Christine also serves as FMA Retiree Conference Chair, the primary connection for retired FMA members to issues that affect them, including fighting for repeal and mitigation of GPO/WEP, more accurate and fair COLAs, identity theft protection, preventing unfair increases to Medicare premiums and deductibles, warning about scams targeting seniors, and other issues. You read her work in each issue of The Federal Manager, FMA's quarterly e-magazine, as she writes a retiree column on these and other topics of interest to FMA retirees.
  
  
  Christine is an active, generous contributor to FMA-PAC, and always answers the call on sending FMA action letters to her Senators and Representative on not only retiree issues, but also supporting FMA's positions on issues affecting current and future federal managers. She is a trusted, valued resource for the executive board, national office staff, and Chapter 121, in addition to retirees.
  
  
  Christine has a warm presence, a big heart, a wonderful sense of humor, and is always active on FMA Day on the Hill, engaging with congressional staff and other decision makers. She is a model ambassador for who FMA is and what we stand for, and a richly deserving recipient of this year's Odell Green Award. Thank you, Christine, for your exemplary service on the FMA Executive Board!
  
  
  Super Recruiter: Craig Carter, Chapter 3, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia
  
  
  Craig recruited an amazing 82 new members! The efforts of Craig and his fellow Chapter 3 members brought FMA more than 150 new members over the last year. We owe him a debt of gratitude for doing more than his part to help keep FMA strong.
  
  
  Region 1 Top Recruiter: Marcus McPhatter, Chapter 298, Social Security Administration - Jamaica, New York
  
  
  Marcus led Chapter 298 in recruiting 14 new members.
   
  Region 2 Top Recruiter: Jeris Smith, Chapter 3, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia
  
  
  Jeris recruited 25 new members!
   
  Region 3 Top Recruiter: Kenneth Poai, Chapter 187, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Honolulu, Hawaii
  
  
  Kenneth recruited three new members.
   
  Region 4 Top Recruiter: Nichole Sawyers, Chapter 14, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington
  
  
  Nichole recruited 11 new members.
   
  Thank you to each of our deserving Federal Managers Association Award Winners!

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