Teresa Gerton led an effort for the Army that could help the service avoid spending more than $800 million over the next five years.

Deborah Taylor improved the financial operations of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which led to the return of $850 million to the Medicare Trust Funds.

And Steve Butler led an effort for the Air Force Material Command to improve how they address high-risk aircraft maintenance that could help the service avoid spending $1 billion.

All told, the 54 honorees would save or help the government avoid spending $36 billion.

“Cabinet people may be caretakers of the agencies, but you are the heart and soul,” said Karen Mills, the Small Business Administration’s administrator and guest speaker at the awards dinner. “You provide continuity and sage counsel, and you are mentors and unpaid office historians.”

The White House recognizes Senior Executive Service members for their work as distinguished or meritorious. All are nominated by their agency head, and are evaluated for their leadership and results by a board of private sector citizens approved by the President.

Distinguished Rank recipients receive a lump-sum payment of 35 percent of their rate of annual basic pay; Meritorious Rank recipients receive 20 percent of their rate of annual basic pay. All recipients receive a framed certificate signed by the President. SES members make between $119,554 and $179,700.

“Tonight’s award is a small bit of gratitude for all you do,” Mills said. “Thank you from the administration. These are the top honors and you are all doing remarkable work in the administration.”

Mills told a story of SBA awardee James Rivera, who is the associate administrator for the agency’s Office of Disaster Assistance. Mills said when Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf region, it took SBA on average 77 days to process a disaster loan. Now, under Rivera’s leadership, she says when disaster strikes it takes SBA seven days.

Mills said Rivera’s leadership is one of the many examples of the impact SES members have on the government every day.

“You get the business of government done,” she said. “You are dealing with the most pressing issues of our times. Your actions make our government a shining example to everyone around the world.”

Winners

USDA
Steven J. Carlson
Dr. John R. Clifford
Robin Heard
Ralph A. Linden
Karen A. Messmore

Commerce
Dr. Richard G. Gann
Dr. Judah Levine
Dr. Jeffrey W. Lynn

Defense

Office of the Secretary
Douglas J. Bruder
Dr. Scott A. Comes
Keith L. Englander
Kevin P. Meiners
Virginia S. Penrod

Defense Intelligence Agency
Dr. David B. Dorman

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Barry M. Barlow
Eric R. Benn

National Security Agency
Frances J. Fleisch
Richard H. Ledgett, Jr.
Margaret Salter
Gregory Starkey

Air Force
Dr. Steven F. Butler
Sheila M. Earle

Army
Teresa W. Gerton
Jeffrey P. Parsons
Karl F. Schneider
Brian M. Simmons

Navy
Charles E. Cook

Health and Human Services
Dr. Marcia K. Brand
Dr. Theresa M. Mullin
Donald E. Shriber
Deborah A. Taylor

Homeland Security
Dr. Steven P. Bucher
Jeffrey G. Lantz

Housing and Urban Development
Janet Marie Golrick

Interior
Dr. Rowan W. Gould

Justice
Edwin S. Kneedler

Drug Enforcement Agency
Frank M. Kalder

FBI
Sean M. Joyce
Eric Velez-Villar

State
James L. Millette

Transportation
Paul M. Geier
Lana T. Hurdle
Craig H. Middlebrook

Treasury
Peter A. Bieger

Veterans Affairs
Steven P. Kleinglass
Patrick L. Sullivan

Environmental Protective Agency
Chester J. France
Dr. A. Stanley Meiburg

NASA
Luat T. Nguyen

National Science Foundation Office of the Inspector General
Dr. Peggy L. Fischer

Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Mark W. Ewing
Marilyn A. Vacca

Small Business Administration
James E. Rivera

Social Security Administration
Michael W. Grochowski

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