FEATURE

Charles De Witt: Founding 

 Farmer, A Life of Service

PROJECT UPDATE

Capitol Roof Project

LEADERSHIP 

SPOTLIGHT 

Q&A with the 12th 

 Architect of the Capitol
2 

CONT

TABLE OF

BEFORE & AFTER FEATURE

4 BEFORE & AFTER

Exterior Bronze Lettering Restoration on the 

Senate Office Buildings

12 FEATURE

Charles De Witt: Founding Farmer, 

A Life of Service 

10 BY THE NUMBERS

Performance and Accountability 

Report Statistics 

20 COOL TOOLS

Plasma Cutting Machine: 

A Matter of Precision
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 3

ENTS

PROJECT UPDATE LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

24 PROJECT UPDATE

Capitol Roof Project

34 LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Q&A With J. Brett Blanton, 12th Architect 

of the Capitol

30 AWARD HIGHLIGHT

Capitol Power Plant Wins 

Safety Award
4 
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 5

Architect of the Capitol (AOC) staff from the Senate Sheet Metal 

and Painting Branches recently completed a project to restore the 

bronze lettering on the exterior of the Hart and Dirksen Senate 

Office Buildings.

The lettering, which contributes to visitors’ first impressions of the 

campus, had become pitted and dulled over time. The project 

team systematically cleaned, repaired and polished the exterior 

bronze letters to shine for the thousands of people who pass by 

them each day. 

The restoration process was time-consuming, with each set of 

bronze letters taking more than 160 hours to restore, but well 

worth the effort, supporting the AOC’s strategic goal of creating 

awe-inspiring facilities and furthering the AOC mission to “Serve, 

Preserve and Inspire.” 

EXTERIOR BRONZE LETTERING RESTORATION 

ON THE SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS

BEFORE & AFTER

WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH YODER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THOMAS HATZENBUHLER
6 EXTERIOR BRONZE LET TERING RESTORATION ON THE SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS

THE PROCESS

TOP: Joe Barbieri, 

sheet metal 

mechanic leader 

with the Senate 

Sheet Metal Branch, 

carefully removes 

the tarnished 

bronze letters from 

the Hart Building.

BOTTOM LEFT: 

Barbieri pulls the 

threaded studs out 

of the back of each 

letter — a tedious 

process that ensures 

none of the studs 

break during their 

removal.

BOTTOM RIGHT: 

Barbieri immerses 

the letters overnight 

in a noncorrosive 

substance to remove 

the previous finish.
TOP: Barbieri pours a noncorrosive substance into a plastic-lined box. 

BOTTOM LEFT: Barbieri removes imperfections on the bronze letters using a large buffing wheel.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Barbieri then uses different sizes of polishing wheels to reach into the grooves and crevices of the letters to remove 

smaller imperfections.
8 EXTERIOR BRONZE LET TERING RESTORATION ON THE SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 9

LEFT PAGE, TOP LEFT: Barbieri 

uses 320 grit sandpaper to remove 

oxidation that cannot be polished 

out, since even tiny imperfections 

will be magnified once a sealant is 

placed on their surface.

LEFT PAGE, TOP RIGHT: Barbieri 

hand polishes the letters. 

The polishing process is time 

intensive. Barbieri must carefully 

avoid scratching the bronze 

surface of the letters. 

LEFT PAGE, BOTTOM: Max 

Ferentinos, painter-refinisher 

with the Senate Painting Branch, 

sprays a clear coat sealant on the 

restored letters to help protect 

them from future environmental 

damage.

TOP: Jaime Morillo, sheet metal 

mechanic with the Senate Sheet 

Metal Branch, puts silicone in the 

stud holes to reattach the letters.

BOTTOM: Barbieri gives the letters 

a final polish after reinstallation to 

maximize their shine.
PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY 

REPORT STATISTICS

BY THE NUMBERS

2005

The first fiscal year (FY) the AOC 

prepared a Performance and 

Accountability Report (PAR)

8 Consecutive fiscal 

years the AOC has 

been awarded 

the CEAR

2011

The first fiscal year the AOC 

submitted its PAR to the 

Association of Government 

Accountants (AGA) for their 

Certificate of Excellence in 

Accountability Reporting 

(CEAR) Program
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 11

Number of consecutive 

15

clean audit opinions 

received by the AOC 

Every AOC office and jurisdiction 

100%

provides input for the PAR

5 AGA CEAR Best-in-Class awards 

received by the AOC

• Most Effective Management Discussion and Analysis (FY 2011)

• Best Analysis of an Agency’s Financial Statements (FY 2012)

• Best Use of Hyperlinks, Drilldowns and Opportunities for 

Interaction (FY 2014)

• Best Executive Summary (FY 2017)

• Recognition of Agency Staff’s Contribution to Mission (FY 2018)

$3.4 BILLION

Total assets managed as of September 30, 2019

THOLOS | VOLUME 12 13

Colonel Charles De Witt knew that he might 

be killed within days, so he wrote:

“Considering the uncertainty of life, especially 

in these times of trouble, and as I am in a few 

days to go down to New York, where I may fall 

a victim to British Tyrants who are arrived in 

order to invade that Metropolis, it may be 

uncertain whether ever I return to make and 

publish this my last Will and Testament.”

CHARLES DE WITT: FOUNDING 

FARMER, A LIFE OF SERVICE

FEATURE

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANKLIN BRADLEY
14 CHARLES DE WITT: FOUNDING FARMER, A LIFE OF SERVICE

De Witt was known by the British 

as an advocate for independence, even while serving in the 

colonial assembly under the 

royal governor. When the 

assembly refused to provide 

funds for quartering British 

troops, the governor dissolved 

the assembly and ordered new 

elections, in hopes that more of 

his supporters would be elected. 

Over his objection to their 

nomination because “they are 

fiery young radicals,” voters 

elected both De Witt and 

George Clinton, rejecting the 

governor’s own son.

De Witt cemented his commitment to the new nation on his 

way to the Battle of New York, 

voting as a member of the New 

York Provincial Congress to ratify 

the Declaration of Independence. 

This was just one of many ways 

that he participated in the 

American Revolution, but his 

achievement that I’m most fond of 

is surviving the Battle of New York, 

because Colonel De Witt is my 

five-times great-grandfather.

His other accomplishments 

include:

• Serving on the committee that

wrote the first constitution of 

New York state, chaired by 

John Jay, first chief justice of 

the United States

New York State Senate House
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 15

• Being named by New York as a 

delegate to the Continental 

Congress, serving with Thomas 

Jefferson in the Maryland State 

House in Annapolis

• Having been elected to the 

colonial assembly under British 

rule, he then was elected to the 

New York State Assembly

• Providing flour to the 

Continental Army throughout 

the Revolutionary War, including during their winter at 

Valley Forge

His career was closely connected 

to many prominent early American 

patriots, including the two who 

represent New York in the National 

Statuary Hall Collection: Robert 

Livingston and George Clinton. 

After his election with De Witt, 

Clinton went on to become the 

governor of New York for over 20 

years and was elected vice president of the United States under 

two presidents. As vice president, 

Clinton presided over the Senate 

in two of its former chambers in 

the U.S. Capitol. His statue stands 

today outside the historic Old 

Senate Chamber.

Livingston served on the 

Committee of Five that drafted the 

Declaration of Independence, 

administered the oath of office to 

George Washington when he 

assumed the presidency in 1789 

and negotiated the Louisiana 

Purchase as U.S. minister to France. 

Livingston famously observed that, 

“We have lived long, but this is the 

noblest work of our whole lives ...The 

United States take rank this day 

among the first powers of the world.”

Every day that I come to work, I 

pass the chambers that Clinton 

presided over and the statues of 

both these Founding Fathers, and 

I’m reminded of my ancestor’s 

contributions to the founding of 

our country.

Starting in the 1650s, the De Witt 

family settled in and around 

Kingston, New York, and was 

prominent in the early history of 

Ulster County. However, the 

Livingston family could be credited 

with extending De Witt’s career 

beyond his home county. De Witt 

succeeded his cousin as manager of 

the extensive Livingston estate, 

Entrance of the cemetery where De Witt is buried

I’M REMINDED OF MY ANCESTOR’S CONTRIBUTIONS

TO THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY.
16 CHARLES DE WITT: FOUNDING FARMER, A LIFE OF SERVICE

collecting rent and taxes from 

tenants, paying workers their wages 

and purchasing tenants’ produce 

and shipping it to New York City. 

When Charles De Witt decided in 

1754 to leave the estate, he wrote in 

his diary that Mr. Livingston agreed 

to “put in a joint stock with me if I set 

up at a place.” That investment, and 

others, helped secure De Witt’s 

continued success.

By the start of the Revolutionary 

War, in addition to his public 

service, De Witt was running a 

prosperous flour mill near Kingston, 

powered by the Greenkill River, 

which never froze, no matter how 

cold the winter. This proved to be a 

strategic advantage for George 

Washington and the Continental Army 

when they were starving through a 

bitter winter at Valley Forge.

Washington appealed to Clinton, 

“with great reluctance ... on a subject, 

which does not properly fall within your 

province.” This letter was truly 

Washington’s last resort. He wrote 

that all the food in New Jersey, 

Pennsylvania, Delaware and 

Maryland would not sustain the army 

for a month. Clinton was now the 

governor of New York, and he 

directed farmers to bring their grain 

Charles De Witt’s report from the Continental Congress to Governor George Clinton, 1784
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 17

to De Witt’s mill, which could run 

through the winter. After the grain 

was ground, the flour would be 

transported in sleighs to Valley Forge.

Just a few months prior, British 

General John Vaughn called 

Kingston, the first capital of New 

York, “a nursery for almost every 

villain in the country,” and said he 

reduced it to ashes, “not leaving a 

house.” Despite this, De Witt 

continued to supply General 

Washington’s army with flour 

through the winter, his home 

having been spared the torch 

because of its location outside the 

town center, at the mill.

Throughout his life, De Witt hosted 

guests at his home, including John 

Jay, who later recalled, “I always met 

with a cordial reception and that 

under his hospitable roof we passed 

many agreeable hours together.” Jay 

also wrote of a time during the war 

when there were reports that the 

British, “were marching in a direction 

that led toward the place where Mrs. 

Jay then was with her father’s family”

in New Jersey. As governor, Jay was 

in the capital, Kingston, near 

Colonel De Witt’s home in an area 

often referred to as Esopus.

Hearing of the danger his wife was 

in, Jay, “thereupon concluded to fetch 

her from thence without delay.” But 

he was unable to hire a horse, so he 

Charles De Witt’s tombstone
18 CHARLES DE WITT: FOUNDING FARMER, A LIFE OF SERVICE

turned to “the Colonel to assist me in 

procuring one ... He immediately 

supplied me with a good one that 

was working on his plough.” When 

Jay returned safely with his wife 

and attempted to pay Colonel De 

Witt for the use of his horse, “He 

declined it, saying that the pleasure of 

serving me on such an occasion was 

a sufficient compensation. This made 

an impression upon me which time 

has not impaired.”

Jay concluded, “My opinion of the 

Colonel has undergone no variations. 

I have uniformly believed him to be a 

worthy gentleman — of good 

understanding — of a good 

disposition, and of determined 

Patriotism. I was a sincere friend to 

him and am persuaded that he was a 

sincere friend to me.”

Following the war, De Witt’s service 

— and flour — were well remembered. In January 1783, he received 

this order, “His Excellency Genl 

Washington has applied to the 

contractors for a quantity of the best 

superfine flour. Mrs. Washington has 

a preference for the flour manufactured at Esopus.” The state of New 

York also named him as a delegate 

to the Continental Congress, so he 

reluctantly departed his native state 

to serve his term in Annapolis, 

Maryland, where Congress met in 

the State House.

De Witt regularly wrote to his 

children as well as both Livingston 

and Clinton, updating them on the 

actions of Congress, with specific 

mentions of Jay and other mutual 

friends as well as the effects of 

actions on New York. Writing to 

Livingston he expresses ambivalence about his colleagues, “there 

appears to be many wise men in the 

body tho some do not appear to have 

the greater abilities that I ever saw.” 

De Witt also succinctly depicts a 

false civility, “An almost constant 

sound of the word Honorable attacks 

Site of the De Witt house
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 19

my ear. When I listen to debates and 

look at the faces it is difficult for me to 

tell the meaning of the word. “

However, he is warmer in regard to 

his family, writing to his son Gerret 

that, “I never felt more happy at any 

place than I do this day here, by the 

receipt of a pkg of letters from my 

dear family.” Colonel De Witt is 

happy to send family news from his 

journey, “Baltimore is a flourishing 

town and very handsomely situated, 

Cousin Thomas De Witt now keeps a 

Coffee House there, he and his little 

fat wife both look exceedingly well, 

they treated me with great kindness 

and were extremely glad to see me.”

Although De Witt always expressed 

an eagerness to return to his native 

northern climes, he admitted 

Annapolis had a certain appeal:

“Annapolis is a small city beautifully 

situated on the great Chesapeake Bay 

which affords a most grand prospect 

and is a striking evidence of the 

greatness of its Maker, there are many 

ordinary buildings and some very 

elegant ones; The State House in 

which Congress sits is the most 

superb, it is thought, in any of the 

United States.”

When I visited the Maryland State 

House with my family, my children 

shared the opinion of their six-times 

great-grandfather, although they 

were unaware of their familial 

connection to the building. Having 

read Colonel De Witt’s affectionate 

letters to his children, I can only 

imagine that he would have 

enjoyed seeing his young descendants gazing up in wonder at the 

towering wooden dome he served 

under. He surely would have been 

glad to know that the freedoms he 

worked so hard to win and the 

country he founded with his 

patrons, neighbors and friends 

continues to rank among the first 

powers of the world.

When that session ended, Colonel 

De Witt was able to return to his 

beloved children and home, where 

he lived out the remainder of his 

days. When he died in 1787, he had 

lived 11 years after the Battle of New 

York, where he knew that he may 

“fall victim to British Tyrants.” During 

that time, De Witt had served with 

Founding Fathers in battle and in 

Congress, fed the army to keep it 

from famine and defeat, and 

provided fellow patriots sound 

counsel and sincere friendship.

As I pass the statues commemorating my ancestor’s friends and 

countrymen, I am grateful to them 

and the good fortune that protected him and his family, especially 

those generations who followed 

him down to my mother. I’m sure 

this founding farmer would have 

had the same wish for them as he 

did for his own children as he wrote 

from Harlem Heights, awaiting the 

attack of the amassed British army, 

“May angels guard you while I am 

traveling through these dangers ... I 

am your ever loving and most 

affectionate father.”

MAY ANGELS GUARD YOU WHILE I AM TRAVELING 

THROUGH THESE DANGERS ... I AM YOUR EVER 

LOVING AND MOST AFFECTIONATE FATHER.
20 

PLASMA CUTTING MACHINE: 

A MATTER OF PRECISION

COOL TOOLS

WRIT TEN BY KATE HOLDER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUKE WALTER

Whatever the task, tools are essential to our work at the Architect 

of the Capitol (AOC), and this latest example of an AOC “cool 

tool” ranks among the hottest and fastest tools we use.

It generates temperatures of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more 

and accelerates to nearly the speed of sound. Those extreme but 

highly controlled conditions allow the tool to cut through metal 

like a hot knife through butter.

And do so with precision.

The cool tool is a computer numerical control (CNC) plasma 

cutter. Located in the House Office Building’s Sheet Metal Shop, 

the tool was acquired about three years ago and allows the shop 

to cut metal parts, components and signage that it could never 

before do efficiently, if at all.
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 21

The tool rests on a 4-by-4-foot table filled with water, 

which helps absorb the heat and sparks generated by 

the plasma cutting torch. The material to be cut is 

placed on the table on a grid raised just above the 

water level; above that looms the controller, a bar that 

straddles the table and holds and guides the plasma 

torch in any direction. 

The plasma torch works by pushing compressed air 

through the torch nozzle while charging the air until it 

becomes a super-heated, high-velocity plasma jet that 

slices through molten metal. It cuts according to 

whatever design was created by computer-aided 

design (CAD) software, which is sent from a laptop to 

the controller. The plasma torch is used on conductive 

metals including steel, aluminum and brass up to 

4-by-4-feet in size, with thicknesses ranging from 

1/8-inch to an inch or more.

Sheet Metal Shop Supervisor George Calloway demonstrated how the plasma cutter works by creating an 

approximately 6-inch-diameter star cut from a 

1/8-inch-thick sheet of scrap aluminum. First, Calloway 

secured to the table the 1-by-2-foot rectangle of 

aluminum. Then, using CAD software on a laptop, he 

quickly designed the star to be cut.

Sparks fly as the plasma torch cuts a star out of an aluminum sheet
22 PLASMA CUTTING MACHINE: A MATTER OF PRECISION

Before the plasma torch was fired up, any observers 

not wearing shade 3 protective eyewear — required 

for workers who operate the machine — were asked to 

stand behind a yellow- or green-tinged plastic curtain 

to protect their eyes from the powerful ultraviolet (UV) 

light emitted by the plasma. The UV light is dangerous 

to unprotected eyes and is akin to staring at the sun. 

That’s because the sun is also made of plasma, an 

extremely hot, ionized (energized) gas that constitutes 

the fourth state of matter — after solid, liquid and gas. 

About 99 percent of all matter in the universe is plasma 

including stars, so it’s fitting that a star symbol was cut 

as an example of what the plasma cutter can do. Due 

to plasma’s intensely high temperatures it is less 

common on earth, but examples of it occurring in 

nature include lightning and auroras (northern and 

southern lights). 

As the plasma torch began cutting out the star, brilliant 

bursts of sparks and light seared through the aluminum as the torch followed precise lines and angles 

defined by the software. It finished within seconds. 

Moments later, Calloway held up the result — a 

damp but distinct five-pointed star that needed 

minimal finishing. 

The five-pointed star was cut within seconds
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 23

The cutting machine’s versatility allows the Sheet 

Metal Shop to create pieces ranging from basic components to elaborate signage: 1/4-inch-thick steel plates 

used to mount locksets for storage areas; 1/8-inchthick aluminum bezels to mount the television monitors at United States Capitol Police entrance door 

screening stations; the sign for the O’Neill House Office 

Building; and intricate brass signage. 

“We recently cut drain covers for Rayburn, 7-inch round 

circles with 20 half-inch circles inside each one,” 

Calloway said. “We made 30 of those in three hours. If 

we had to do that by hand, it would probably take an 

entire shop three months to finish.”

By contrast, it only takes one person to operate the 

machine. “The plasma cutter has saved us significant 

resources,” said House Office Buildings Assistant 

Superintendent Ryan Columbo. 

“It’s a ‘cool tool’ because it saves a lot of time and does 

things we couldn’t do before,” Calloway said. “It makes 

a perfect circle and a perfect square every time. You 

couldn’t do that by hand. So that’s pretty cool.”

George Calloway works the plasma cutter, which only requires one person to operate
24 
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 25

The roof is the first line of defense against the elements for any 

building. And the copper roof of the U.S. Capitol — comprising 

about 200,000 square feet — is particularly vital because of the 

priceless art, decorative ceilings and the business of democracy 

housed beneath it. 

The copper has aged to a beautiful green patina over time; while it 

looks beautiful from afar, the roof needs constant attention and 

upkeep. That’s where the Capitol Building Sheet Metal Shop comes 

in, providing intensive labor and careful craftsmanship. 

Much of the roof looks similar to the untrained eye, but each 

section was replaced at different times, the oldest section now 

dates back to the 1940s. A soldering date on each section marks 

the time when it was installed. The team has recently been replacing a section on the Senate side, between the cupola and East 

Front extension, which was installed in 1963. 

CAPITOL ROOF PROJECT

PROJEC T UPDATE

WRITTEN BY LAURA CONDELUCI

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHUCK BADAL
26 CAPITOL ROOF PROJECT

Copper has been used as a roofing material for 

centuries because it is watertight and durable. Acid 

rain and the freeze-thaw cycle each winter wear at 

the copper. When the copper becomes too thin, 

tiny holes can form and let water in. There are 

nearly 100,000 small copper panels covering the 

roof. As part of the Capitol Sheet Metal Shop’s 

ongoing preventive maintenance, the crew regularly 

walks the roof to clear drains and to look for broken 

solder joints, cracks and holes that need repair.

Image: Copper roofing thins over time, and when holes are 

found, they are patched until the section is replaced

The roofing copper comes in large sheets, some as 

big as 3 feet wide by 10 feet long. First, the sheets 

must be sheared down to the correct size. Then a 

stripe of solder is applied before the sheet is bent into 

shape, and finally cleats lock in the edges. This prep 

work is performed in the shop. Getting the copper up 

to the roof is its own challenge. The team has to be 

careful of their surroundings once on the roof, as there 

are different substrate surfaces and slopes to cross.

Image: Brian Jerdon bends a copper wall flashing

Before the copper flashing can be installed, a waterproof membrane is applied to protect the underlying 

roof from moisture, water and ice. This layer is tacky, 

self-adhesive and seals around any nail penetrations. 

The membrane is then covered in both felt and rosin 

paper before it is covered in copper.

Image: Brian Jerdon installs a waterproof membrane 

before the copper wall flashing is placed at the base of 

the Senate cupola
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 27

The roofing process has essentially remained the 

same as when the copper roof was installed in the 

1940s, though some of the waterproofing materials 

and soldering tools have improved over time. The 

old way of soldering used copper irons heated with 

a charcoal pot. Now soldering torches with 

gas-burning nozzles continuously heat a copper 

iron, which is cleaner, safer and reduces the chance 

of starting a fire. “It’s still just as labor intensive now 

as it was when the roof first went on,” says Capitol 

Sheet Metal Shop Supervisor Bryan Glotfelty.

Image: Kevin Golden soldering while Jason Stone and 

Darren Barnett install flat seam copper roof panels

You never know what surprise you may find just below the 

surface on any given project. When removing an existing 

section of copper roof at the northeast base of the cupola, 

the Capitol Sheet Metal Shop received an unexpected 

message from the past. 

The team discovered a handwritten note with the names of 

the workers who installed this section of the roof on 

September 29, 1963. The note was discovered lying underneath a piece of copper on a sloped section of the roof. 

Since the letter was hidden away for more than 50 years, 

the damage it sustained was minimal. It’s a great testament 

to the expertise and superior craftsmanship of the workers. 

And finding it was a delight to those who are continuing 

the meticulous mission of maintaining the U.S. Capitol’s 

distinctive copper roof. 

HIDDEN HISTORY
28 CAPITOL ROOF PROJECT

The tent provides shade for both the workers and the 

copper. Copper holds heat, making it hot to the 

touch in the summer sun. The joints of the flat seam 

copper roof panels are soldered to ensure that the 

roof remains watertight. Well-soldered seams require 

a lot of skill. Fortunately, the Capitol Sheet Metal Shop 

has extensive experience with copper roofing. Of the 

10 people in the shop, four are concentrated on the 

roof project. 

Image: Jason Stone, Brian Jerdon and Kevin Golden install flat 

seam copper roof panels

The shiny copper turns into warm brown pretty 

quickly in the rain. However, it can take 20 to 25 years 

for the natural weathering process to turn the warm 

brown tone into the distinctive green patina. The 

thought of rain midproject keeps Glotfelty up at 

night, “You’re always worried about rain — once the 

old copper has been removed, the roof has to be 

covered with the waterproofing membrane and 

plastic and weighed down.”

Image: Kevin Golden and Jason Stone cover the newly placed 

copper with plastic sheeting at the end of their shift

The U.S. Capitol’s copper roof provides durability and longevity, with warmth and beauty, protecting everything inside 

the building. And it offers the Capitol Sheet Metal Shop a chance to shine and showcase their proficiency.

Like most beloved national treasures from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Statue of Liberty, the U.S. Capitol Building 

roof requires continuous care. Once a section has been replaced, it is regularly inspected as part of the shop’s 

preventive maintenance. 

When this section is complete, the crew will identify their work by soldering in the date to help a future Sheet Metal 

Shop team know when the work was done. And then they’ll get started on the next section of roof.
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 29

PHOTO BY LUKE WALTER
30 

CAPITOL POWER PLANT 

WINS SAFETY AWARD 

AWARD HIGHLIGHT

W R I T T E N BY K AT E H O L D E R 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AOC PHOTO BRANCH

There’s a saying: “SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT.”

At the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), it’s also no accident that our 

core value of safety can produce award-winning results. 

Take the Capitol Power Plant’s Cogeneration (Cogen) Project, 

which was recently recognized for its outstanding safety record. 

Engineering News-Record (ENR) MidAtlantic awarded the Cogen 

Project its 2019 Excellence in Safety Award of Merit, which was 

celebrated at an awards ceremony in Baltimore.

ENR MidAtlantic is a regional edition of ENR, the leading media 

group covering the U.S. construction industry. Over 40 projects 

were considered for the award with only two winners selected for 

going “above and beyond baseline industry safety standards.” 

Award criteria included “what training/safety programs were 

implemented to prevent injuries and assure a safe jobsite,” and 

how the project’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

(OSHA) recordable and lost time rates compare to other projects in 

this category. 
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 31
32 CAPITOL POWER PLANT WINS SAFETY AWARD 

AOC Capital Projects Administrator Karim Moore 

oversaw the day-to-day installation of the Cogen Project 

from its beginning in October 2015 until it was completed in December 2018. “We had an OSHA recordable 

incident rate (RIR) of zero-point-zero,” Moore said. “That 

means no time was lost by any workers due to project-related accidents or injuries during the life of the project.” 

This milestone was achieved despite the transport, 

crane lifting, placement and installation of a couple 

hundred tons of heavy equipment. It was achieved 

despite the Cogen Project’s mechanical, electrical and 

structural demands and significant space constraints. 

It was achieved despite the project requiring over 

180,000 hours of work!

“Having an installation that includes such large, heavy 

equipment to lift always involves substantial risk and 

safety issues for the workers,” said Moore. “Given the 

industrial complexity of the project, completing it with 

zero time lost for any worker is pretty unusual.”

To Capitol Power Plant Director Christopher Potter, 

everything they do at the plant starts and ends with 

safety. “I always say, safety is not only our top priority, 

it’s our most important core value,” Potter said.

Employees who worked on the Cogen Project

ZERO-POINT-ZERO
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 33

The images below show two additional views of the completed Cogen Project

“Every contractor who is on-site and gets an AOC badge 

has to attend a safety orientation,” Potter said. “I welcome each new group to say two things: one, if they see 

any AOC staff doing something that could be done 

safer, they need to tell us about it because we want to 

learn from them. Two, if we see them doing something 

that could be safer, we’re definitely going to tell them 

about it because we can’t allow unsafe behavior.”

Nevertheless, Potter had nothing but the highest praise 

for the Cogen Project contractors and sub-contractors, 

who brought to bear their own rigorous safety ethos. 

“It’s a partnership, we’re all looking out for each other’s 

safety,” he said. “I always end my welcome remarks by 

thanking them because what we do together supports 

the Capitol.”

Nor could the AOC do what it does without its daily 

focus on safety.

“Our core value of safety was demonstrated throughout 

the Cogeneration Project,” said Director of Safety, Fire 

and Environmental Programs Patricia Williams. “AOC 

leadership and contractor executives clearly communicated their expectation for the safe project completion. 

Everyone on the project worked together to assure they 

all went home without injury. Kudos!”

Planning and Project Management Director Peter 

Mueller agreed, “The Cogeneration Project and its 

record of achievements provides an outstanding 

example of fully integrating safety into all aspects of the 

project delivery. It gives credence to the question for all 

projects: ‘Why not zero injuries?’”

Cogeneration, also known as combined heat and power, 

uses a single fuel source to simultaneously produce 

electricity and heat. The Capitol Power Plant’s new 

cogeneration system will increase reliability and efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save 

taxpayer dollars for years to come. 

ENR MidAtlantic started its safety awards seven years 

ago to recognize large construction projects that 

performed complex tasks while maintaining a strong 

safety record. 

NOR COULD THE AOC DO WHAT IT DOES 

WITHOUT ITS DAILY FOCUS ON SAFETY.
34 

Q&A WITH J. BRETT BLANTON

12TH ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT 

Q: Why did you want to be the next Architect of 

the Capitol?

A: To answer this question, I must begin with the mission 

of the Architect of the Capitol: Serve, Preserve and Inspire. 

It is the Serve aspect that is most inspiring to me. I hope to 

maintain the legacy of my 11 predecessors and usher in a 

new era for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC).

Q: What are your first priorities as Architect of 

 the Capitol?

A: My initial priorities will center around our human 

capital. We will transform the culture to one of transparency, accountability and responsiveness; harassment of 

any form will not be tolerated; we will work to better 

attract and retain a skilled workforce; and we will begin 

using decision-quality data to drive both budgetary and 

project management decisions.

Q: What are the lessons you have learned that you 

hope to bring to the AOC?

A: It is wisest to approach any issue collaboratively until a 

decision is required. Then make decisive decisions.

Q: What do you want AOC employees to know most 

about you?

A: I expect candid and straightforward answers to questions I ask. I will always be straightforward when engaging 

our personnel, so I require the same in return.

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, J. Brett Blanton was sworn in as the 12th Architect of the Capitol by 

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr., at the U.S. Supreme Court Building.
THOLOS | VOLUME 12 35

Q: How would you describe your style 

of leadership?

A: My leadership philosophy can best be 

described as empowering and inclusive. 

Although responsibility will always remain 

with me, I believe in delegating authority 

to practicable levels within an organization. As such, workforce managers will 

feel more empowered and take more 

pride and ownership for their day-to-day 

activities. The results of empowering the 

workforce include the ability to make 

accelerated facility decisions and 

improved customer service.

Q: What do you like to do for fun when 

you’re not at work?

A: I enjoy working out. I need to because 

one of my other passions is smoking meat.

Q: What’s the best book you’ve read 

in the last year?

A: I often reread “Lincoln on Leadership.” 

It is an easy read so I would recommend it 

to everyone. However, I recently read 

“Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of 

Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns 

Goodwin. There are key lessons to take 

away from Lincoln’s leadership philosophies 

such as: collaborating, understanding other 

points of view, surrounding yourself with 

people who will challenge you, standing up 

for deeply held principles, and being bold or 

decisive when needed.
Communications and Congressional Relations

U.S. Capitol, Room SB-16

Washington, DC 20515

Tholos Winter 2020

The Architect of the Capitol strives 

to meet its mission 24 hours a day, 

365 days a year to serve Congress 

and the Supreme Court, preserve

America’s Capitol, and inspire 

memorable experiences for all who 

visit the buildings and grounds.

Tholos is distributed by the Architect 

of the Capitol primarily for AOC 

employees. Questions regarding 

content and publication should be 

directed to AOC Communications 

and Congressional Relations at 

communications@aoc.gov, 

202.228.1793, or U.S. Capitol, Room 

SB-16, Washington, DC 20515.

JOIN AOC ONLINE:

Twitter.com/uscapitol

Facebook.com/architectofthecapitol

Instagram.com/uscapitol 

YouTube.com/uscapitol

www.aoc.gov

FRONT COVER: Photo by 

Thomas Hatzenbuhler

BACK PHOTO: Photo by 

AOC Photo Branch