Photo By James Finn | Nate Gorham and Col. Williams receive the Chief of Engineers Award of Excellence....... read more read more
On November 13th the US Army Corps of Engineers held their awards ceremony in Washington D.C. for 2023. It was a bonanza year for the Rock Island District when it came to national recognition and awards as two individuals and one team were recognized for their efforts at the USACE National Awards Ceremony held recently in Washington, D.C. The District
took home two accolades as well.
Rock Island District Emergency Management Chief Sarah Jones was named Emergency Manager of the Year for 2023. Jones received the award for her prodigious response and recovery accomplishments during the year, including response to the 2023 Upper Mississippi River flood event, leading rehab efforts of nine flood damaged levees, and deploying to the Maui Wildfire Recovery Field Office (RFO) multiple times including twice as the Operations Chief and once as the RFO Deputy.
“I’m deeply honored to receive the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Emergency Manager of the Year award,” Jones said, “particularly for my role in leading our response and recovery operations associated with the 2023 floods and Hawaii wildfire recovery efforts.”
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work, resilience, and dedication of our entire team. We’ve learned so much through these challenges, and I’m excited about the opportunities ahead to strengthen our emergency management practices and continue supporting communities in need.”
Supervisory Biologist Mark Cornish was also recognized for his efforts on the Lock and Dam 22 Fish Passage Project by recieving the USACE National Civil Works Planning Excellence Award.
Cornish is instrumental to the USACE civil works planning program and the aquatic ecosystem restoration mission and is dedicated to environmental compliance requirements. He is always looking to advance the state of practice and emerging science related to invasive species management
and fish passage. While Cornish is part of the Regional Planning and Environmental Division North (RPED North), he is an integral part of the Rock Island District mission.
The Illinois Waterway Consolidated Closures team received an honor and recognition in the program for the USACE National Awards Ceremony as Project Delivery Team of the Year. The team completed a complex and critical navigation project at multiple sites during the summer of 2023 amid numerous cost growth and material supply chain challenges. Work was completed on or ahead of schedule at all sites and the level of planning, coordination and collaboration between all entities was a truly remarkable accomplishment.
Not only were great District individuals recognized, but the entire team was recognized for their greatness as well as the Rock Island District as a whole received two awards, taking home the Chief of Engineers Award of Excellence and the Exceptional Organization Safety Award (Brigade/Equivalent). Rock Island District Safety Manager Nate Gorham and District Commander Col. Aaron Williams accepted the Chief of Engineers Award of Excellence on behalf of the District during the ceremony.
The Award of Excellence was awarded to the District for achieving significant milestones in FY23, including executing its second-largest program valued at $411 million and earning the prestigious Army Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Star Award, the first USACE District to earn that particular award.
The Exceptional Organization Safety Award was bestowed on Rock Island for excelling in safety performance and culture. The District fully implemented the Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupational Health Management System (CE-SOHMS), and by doing so, significantly reduced
injuries while also achieving the previously mentioned Army SOH Star Award.
“These awards are the result of the dedication and hard work of the District’s employees who are committed to improving safety for everyone they work with,” Gorham said. “I was incredibly honored to stand on stage with Col. Williams and accept the Exceptional Organization Safety Award for the Rock Island District and wish we could present the award to every member of our District team for their tireless efforts.”
| Date Taken: | 12.23.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2024 12:27 |
| Story ID: | 488233 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Army Corps of Engineers
Rock Island Arsenal
Awards and Medals
