Nominees include a VA executive working on electronic health record modernization. Image: Arthimedes/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe Biden administration has chosen 236 winners from 30 agencies for the Presidential Rank Awards, top honors for career employees in the SES and equivalent levels.
There are two categories of awards, distinguished and meritorious, with one grouping for SES members and a smaller one for senior level/senior scientific or technical employees, commonly called senior professionals. The “distinguished” award, worth 35 percent of base pay, can be granted to no more than 1 percent of an agency’s employees in such positions and the “meritorious” award, worth 20 percent of base pay, to no more than 5 percent.
The announcement highlighted winners including (in its words):
* A senior executive at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who has implemented numerous complex law enforcement programs for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). This senior official has applied cutting-edge technology and built key partnerships to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
* A senior executive at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and a board-certified physician, used digital technologies to enhance care for veterans and their caregivers. This executive has been instrumental in leading VA’s electronic health record modernization, a massive transformation effort affecting the entire VA health care system, which covers about 433,000 employees.
* A senior leader at the Department of Energy (DOE) launched Energy Earthshots, which brought together DOE’s resources to tackle major energy challenges, resulting in significant advances in cost-effective climate solutions and driving progress toward net-zero emissions by 2050. This executive established the Office of the Under Secretary for Infrastructure, enabling the deployment of multibillion-dollar infrastructure funding to modernize the U.S. energy grid, strengthen domestic supply chains, and support large-scale clean energy demonstrations, with a focus on engaging underserved and energy transition communities.
* A senior executive at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) led Operation Apollo, a vital initiative to combat the U.S. Fentanyl epidemic, and modernized traveler processing at U.S. Ports of Entry through the implementation of innovative technologies like Non-Intrusive Technology, Simplified Arrival, and CBP One™. This executive has also been a key figure in fostering government-wide collaborations and private-sector partnerships to enhance border security, support asylum seekers, and modernize critical border infrastructure.
* A senior executive at NASA overseeing 18,000 employees and a $25 billion budget, driving key missions such as the launch of the James Webb Telescope and Artemis I. Under this leadership, NASA achieved a record 1,022 spacecraft launches in 2022 and over 90 launches in 2023, surpassing the total launches of the first 52 years of space exploration. This individual also leads NASA 2040, a strategic initiative to secure NASA’s future in science, aeronautics, and space exploration.
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