VICKSBURG, Miss. – U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Director Dr. Jeffery P. Holland was selected as a recipient of the Distinguished Executive, Presidential Rank Award. This represents the highest honor for members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), and recognizes strong leaders, professionals and scientists who achieve results and consistently demonstrate strength, integrity, industry and a relentless commitment to excellence in public service.
Holland, who also serves as director of research and development and chief scientist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), was one of only eight Army leaders selected to receive the award this year, three of those with USACE. It is given to no more than 1% of SES members each year.
“No one wins an award like this on their own,” said Holland. “This is a reflection of the whole ERDC team and its accomplishments. I am blessed to lead an extraordinary team, and this award is the result of our collective efforts. Truly, if you guys don’t do what you do, then what I do doesn’t matter.”
As the director of ERDC, Holland manages one of the most diverse research organizations with the world with seven laboratories in four states and more than 2,500 employees, $1.2 billion in facilities and an annual program exceeding $1.1 billion. Prior to his current position, he served for three years as ERDC deputy director, assisting the previous director in management efforts. He also spent time as the director of ERDC’s Information Technology Laboratory, where he oversaw the development and sustainment of technological infrastructure and execution of a broad research and development and operational program in the areas of high-performance computing, computer-aided engineering and design, geographic information systems, software engineering, scientific visualization and more.
He received a bachelor’s in environmental engineering, with honors, from Western Kentucky University and a master’s in environmental and water resources engineering from Vanderbilt University. He holds a doctorate in civil engineering from Colorado State University.
Holland was a 2008 winner of the Meritorious Executive, Presidential Rank Award, which is given each year to no more than 5% of SES members. Additional honors include the 2014 Federal Laboratory Consortium Director of the Year Award; the Silver Order of the de Fleury Medal; the Alcorn State University Presidential Citation for Excellence; the Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award; and the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal. He is a member of the Mississippi College Board of Trustees and was elected to the Mississippi Research Consortium Advisory Board in 2013. He has also authored or co-authored more than 100 publications and is a member of multiple technical societies. He is a registered professional engineer in Mississippi.