# Columbus associates honored at DLA’s 56th Annual Employee Recognition Awards ceremony

/ Published Jan. 26, 2024
COLUMBUS, Ohio, 
Eight Columbus associates and three teams were recognized as top performers during the Defense Logistics Agency’s 56th Annual Employee Recognition Awards ceremony Jan. 25 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex on Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

The employee recognition program highlights outstanding individuals and teams performing diverse missions across the enterprise who’ve made exceptional contributions to the agency’s collective mission to sustain warfighter readiness and lethality through proactive global logistics.

Tiffani Harris was named one of DLA’s 10 outstanding personnel of the year. Harris is the Integrated Supplier Team branch chief with Land Supplier Operations. In her nomination, she was commended for her exceptional leadership in support of the DLA Strategic Plan for Human Capital Management, and for her passion for personal and professional development for DLA employees and others. Harris has been an advocate for creating promotion and other opportunities for all associates to include minority employees during her 21-year career.

Three DLA Land and Maritime associates were named leaders of the year. Nicole McDonald, a logistics management specialist and Weapon System Support manager in Land Customer Operations, was praised for her technical expertise and ability to communicate DLA strategy and concepts. Ronald Schwinn, an acquisition specialist for Land Supply Chain, demonstrated a unique ability to lead two largely undefined projects and developed processes to ensure increased output, and improved quality assurance/compliance. Margaret Smith, a supervisory contract specialist with Maritime Supplier Operations, was lauded for her mastery of key DLA leadership competencies and her efforts toward building team unity and cohesiveness.

Electronics Engineer Jason Hochstetler was named Employee of the Quarter for the 3rd quarter of fiscal year 2023. He was commended for his efforts in maintaining and working with critical semiconductor device specifications and the inclusion of plastic semiconductor devices, resulting in greater parts availability in the DLA supply chains for warfighter readiness.

Two DLA Land and Maritime associates took home awards in the Equal Employment Opportunity category. Material Planner Teresa Brunotte earned the Achievement in EEO by an Employee award. In her nomination, she was described as a culture champion and one who consistently demonstrates exceptional dedication to making an impact within the EEO mission. In one of her many accomplishments, Brunotte shared her knowledge and passion by leading a Continuous Process Improvement project to improve the American Sign Language Interpreting Services scheduling process for her Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Gregory Ramsey, a support agreements manager with DLA Installation Management – Columbus, was awarded Outstanding Employee with a Disability for his significant contributions to the overall success of the Installation Management team. He was commended for his team-oriented approach to ensure mandates for Inter-Service Support Agreements were met. Ramsey was also named one of the Defense Department’s outstanding employees with a disability for 2023 and is currently the chairperson for DLA Land and Maritime’s People with Disabilities Employment Program.

Supervisory Contract Specialist Lisa Keyser Vega was recognized for acquisition excellence for her efforts to find innovative ways to increase efficiency and productivity among the acquisition workforce while concurrently focusing on employee development and retention. Her impressive accomplishments include co-designing classes and training materials that were used to teach over 90 new acquisition associates how to navigate procurement systems and approach complex technical issues in acquisition.

In the team categories, DLA and Anniston Army Depot Tracked Vehicle Support Team with Land Supplier Operations earned a team performance award for its exceptional support for the reset of the M1 family of vehicles for the U.S. Army and allies. The team rapidly identified components needed to support this critical reset and spearheaded the task of procuring and delivering parts to meet emerging U.S. European Command/Ukraine support requirements.

Defense Supply Center Columbus captured two Installation Support Excellence Awards this year. DLA Installation Management – Columbus earned Outstanding Police Activity of the Year for its world class security and emergency services, and positive engagement with employees, local law enforcement partners and the community. The installation’s Eagle Eye Golf Club took home the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Facility/Program Excellence Award for its dedication to customer service and the establishment of a successful new post-pandemic normal.

The DLA annual awards program was established in 1967 and featured awards for the agency’s 10 Outstanding Employees of the Year. It has since expanded and featured 11 categories and 53 awards for 2023.

The Columbus award recipients are as follows:

**Top 10 Employee**
      - Category C: Tiffani Harris, Land Supplier Operations

**Leader of the Year**
      - Level 1: Nicole McDonald, Land Customer Operations
      - Level 2: Ronald Schwinn, Land Supply Chain
      - Level 3 :  Margaret Smith, Maritime Supplier Operations

**Employee of the Quarter**
      - Category B: Jason Hochstetler, DLA Land and Maritime

**Team Awards**
      - Medium: DLA and Anniston Army Depot Tracked Vehicle Support Team, DLA Land and Maritime

**Equal Employment Opportunity Awards**
      - Achievement in EEO by an Employee: Teresa Brunotte, DLA Land and Maritime
      - Outstanding Employee with a Disability (GS/WG 11-15): Gregory Ramsey, DLA Installation Management – Columbus

**Installation Support Excellence Awards**
      - Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Facility/Program Excellence Award: Eagle Eye Golf Club, DLA Installation Management – Columbus
      - Outstanding Police Activity of the Year: DLA Installation Management – Columbus

**Acquisition Excellence Awards**
      - Excellence in Acquisition: Lisa Keyser Vega, Land Supplier Operations

A recording of the Jan. 25 ceremony can be viewed here.