VICKSBURG, Miss. (July 12, 2018)--In keeping with a legacy of impressive leadership and national award winners, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, headquartered in Vicksburg, Mississippi, can proudly boast that two of their own received 2017 Presidential Rank Awards at a ceremony recently held at the Pentagon.
ERDC Deputy Director Dr. Beth Fleming received the Distinguished Executive Award, the Department of the Army’s highest annual Presidential Rank Award for career Senior Executive Service members; and ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory’s Director Dr. Joseph Corriveau was awarded the second highest award by the Department of the Army, the Meritorious Executive Award.
The Presidential Rank Awards Program was established by The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to recognize a select group of career members of the Senior Executive Service for exceptional performance over an extended period of time. The statute was later amended to extend eligibility to senior career employees with a sustained record of exceptional professional, technical or scientific achievement recognized on a national or international level.
Fleming was one of only four U.S. Army leaders chosen for her extraordinary accomplishments. Her selection was based on exceptional leadership, vision, strategic thinking and ability to build coalitions that have led to solutions faced by our Soldiers and the nation. In addition, Fleming has been recognized on the national level for the people and programs she has led in the discovery of science and technology solutions for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works, and Army and Department of Defense military programs that have produced approximately $400 billion in national economic benefits while saving lives and preserving readiness.
In her work as civil works business area lead, Fleming completely transformed the strategic direction and coordination of research and development across multiple federal agencies creating an integrated civil works research and development strategy and research products that transcend missions and leverage funding. Also in that role, she has directed approximately 500 researchers in ERDC and federal and state agencies, ensuring that the nation’s water resources science and technology challenges are met. Fleming’s leadership in these areas resulted in solutions for managing hundreds of the nation’s water resources projects.
The second award presentation, a Meritorious Executive Award, was presented to CRREL Director Dr. Joe Corriveau for his accomplishments and service while Director of the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center under the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command.
Corriveau directed operations at the nation’s premier laboratory for the development of chemical and biological defense research, development and engineering solutions for the military as well as chemical and biological counter-terrorism support to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. Corriveau led the DOD’s largest and most critical laboratory for countering chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction across the globe.
ERDC Director Dr. David Pittman said, “I was thrilled to be in attendance at the Pentagon when Dr. Fleming and Dr. Corriveau were presented these prestigious awards. The Presidential Rank Awards are the highest awards given to the Career Senior Executive Service, Senior Professional and Scientific Professional by the President of the United States. As colleagues, friends and leaders, Beth and Joe are both prime examples of the POWER OF ERDC – our people!!!”