AFCEA Announces Its 2013 Individual Award Winners

FAIRFAX, Va., May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AFCEA International is pleased to announce its 2013 individual award winners.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130410/DC92618LOGO)

A majority of these awards were presented on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at East: Joint Warfighting 2013 in Virginia Beach, VA. For more information please visit www.afcea.org/awards.  

CHAIRMAN'S SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AWARD
Recognizing superior service to AFCEA, these award winners set the example for others as dedicated volunteers who are active at all levels of the Association.

Miriam Browning, Browning Consulting Group

Linda Gooden, Lockheed Martin

BG Reimar Scherz, GE Army (Ret.), AFCEA Bonn Chapter

Scott Suhy, GreenLine Systems

DISTINGUISHED AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING
AFCEA's highest award for sustained career excellence in engineering, exhibiting a career of service reflecting strong commitment to engineering and quantifiable outstanding scientific or technical accomplishments.

Steven D. Wert, PEO, Hanscom AFB

MERITORIOUS RISING STAR AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGINEERING
This award recognizes rising stars in the engineering field, as identified by peers, colleagues, and /or supervisors.

Alex Brofos, MITRE Corporation

EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO STEM EDUCATION AWARD
This award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to furthering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education in grade school or colleges and universities.

Mark Zelinger, (posthumous award)

DISTINGUISHED AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
AFCEA's highest award for sustained career excellence in information technology, exhibiting a career of service reflecting strong commitment to engineering and significant accomplishments in information technology.

RADM Mario Durao, PON, Portuguese Ministry of Defence

MERITORIOUS RISING STAR AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
This award recognizes rising stars in the information technology field, as identified by peers, colleagues, and /or supervisors.

Deniese Cobbins, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command

AFCEA CHARLIE ALLEN AWARD FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
AFCEA's recognition of senior level intelligence professionals who are making significant contributions to the intelligence community.

David Shedd, Defense Intelligence Agency

MERITORIOUS AWARD FOR SERVICE TO THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
AFCEA's recognition of intelligence professionals who are making significant contributions at the tactical, intermediate, or national levels.

Marilyn Vacca, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO EDUCATION AWARD
AFCEA's recognition of sustained exceptional service over a period of several years that demonstrates a unique dedication to the educational mission of the AFCEA Educational Foundation and/or the educational programs of AFCEA Chapters.

Pat Kelly, San Diego Chapter

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT IN EDUCATION AWARD
AFCEA's recognition of exceptional service during the past calendar year that demonstrates a unique dedication to the educational mission of the AFCEA Educational Foundation and/or the educational programs of AFCEA Chapters.

Mary Yager, Hampton Roads Chapter

AFCEA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION SPECIAL AWARD OF MERIT
The special award of merit acknowledges the outstanding accomplishment of individuals who have contributed to one distinctive and noteworthy aspect of the educational mission of AFCEA.

Joshua Copeland, ArkLaTex Chapter

Victor Helbling, Alamo Chapter

SPARKY BAIRD AWARD 
This annual award is given to the author(s) of the outstanding SIGNAL Magazine article of the year.

Capt Mike Stephens, USAF and Frank Klucznik

SIGNAL, November 2012 "The Tactical Edge Sees Data Interoperability"

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Awarded to long-standing members of AFCEA with a record of sustained contributions to the Association and exceptional leadership skills.

Carl Bass, Whitlock, Tampa-St. Petersburg Chapter

Dr. James Cunningham, JA Cunningham Consulting LLC, Lexington-Concord Chapter

Chris Cusano, NTConcepts Inc., Northern Virginia Chapter

CAPT Glenn Hernandez, USCG, U.S. Pacific Command, Hawaii Chapter

Dave Johnson, Suss Consulting, Hampton Roads Chapter

David Kovach, Alamo Chapter

Melvin May, Jr., May Associates, Fort Monmouth Chapter

Andrew Peters, Quantico-Potomac Chapter

Maj Gen Erich Staudacher, GEAF, HQ Air Command, Bonn Chapter

Joseph Yavorsky, 7th Signal Command, Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter

MEDAL OF MERIT AWARD
This Award recognizes dedicated service to the Association, combined with a sustained level of professional excellence in the fields of communications, electronics, and intelligence or information systems.

Irene Biddy, Oasis Systems, Lexington-Concord Chapter

Eduardo Branco, Portugal Chapter

Robert Damen, Raytheon, Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter

John Hardt, General Dynamics Information Technology, Montgomery Chapter

Tim Harschutz, Fleet Cyber Command, Hampton Roads Chapter

Maj Andrew Heo, USAF, Rocky Mountain Chapter

Jeffrey Katz, Lexington-Concord Chapter

James Kohlmann, Rocky Mountain Chapter

David Landry, Atlanta Chapter

Jaroslav Pejcoch, T-SOFT a.s., Czech Chapter

Mike Sinisi, ManTech International, Northern Virginia Chapter

Richard Wegmann, DCI, Dayton-Wright Chapter

Col Paul Welch, USAF, 688th Information Operations Wing, Alamo Chapter

MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
This mid-career award is given for meritorious contributions to AFCEA and to the community.

Brad Barker, Master Key Consulting, Bethesda Chapter

MSgt Donald Blackmon, USAF, DISA-Europe, Stuttgart Chapter

Maggie Cook, Navanti Group LLC, Northern Virginia Chapter

Erin Donlan, PESystems, Inc., Lexington-Concord Chapter

Gerard Elzinga, NATO HQ C3, Belgium Chapter

MSG Rebecca Fisher, USA, HQ Southern Command J6, South Florida Chapter

Brenda Howard, Raytheon, Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter

Clifton Jenkins, Lockheed Martin, Hawaii Chapter

1st Lt Cali Knowlden, USAF, 5th Combat Communications Group, Middle Georgia Chapter

Jason March, Natoma Technologies, Northern Virginia Chapter

Dr. James Pasch, The Joint Staff, Hampton Roads Chapter

Rhonda Richardson, Air Combat Command, Tidewater Chapter

William Robinson, Alamo Chapter

Eric Sloan, 22nd Century Technologies, Montgomery Chapter

Bud Vazquez, Raytheon, Lexington-Concord Chapter

Casey Weinstein, Gartner, Dayton-Wright Chapter

Stephen Windom, CSC, Rocky Mountain Chapter

Wanda Williams, Rocky Mountain Chapter

Joseph Wotton, IBM, Tampa-St. Petersburg Chapter

Mary Allison Yourchisin, Intelligent Decisions, Tampa-St. Petersburg Chapter

AFCEA International, established in 1946, is a non-profit membership association serving the military, government, industry, and academia as an ethical forum for advancing professional knowledge and relationships in the fields of communications, IT, intelligence, and global security. For more information, please visit www.afcea.org.

SOURCE AFCEA International