2002 Federal Employees of the Year
William L. Fleming and Ben H. Herren
Position: Fleming: Special Agent; Herren: Investigative Research Specialist
Agency: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Achievement: Brought to justice two of the men responsible for the infamous 1963 bombing of an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama, nearly 40 years after they had committed the crime.
2002 Career Achievement Medal Recipient
Dr. Katharine Gebbie
Position: Director, Physics Laboratory
Agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Achievement: The founding director of the award-winning NIST Physics Laboratory, a pioneer in the practical application of emerging technologies, has helped enhance scientific career opportunities for women and minorities through a lifetime of service.
2002 Call to Service Medal Recipient
Rachel Billingslea
Position: Foreign Policy Specialist/Country Director for Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon
Agency: U.S. Department of Defense
Location: The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Achievement: In her three years of federal service, she has played a leading role in developing policies to improve relations with a key U.S. ally and helped advance the formulation of America’s post-Cold War national security policy.
2002 Citizen Services Medal Recipient
Daniel Weinberg
Position: Division Chief
Agency: Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, U.S. Census Bureau
Location: Suitland, Maryland
Achievement: Led the development of an improved measure of poverty which more accurately reflects the needs of the poor; this will help leaders effectively target resources toward improving economic well-being.
2002 Homeland Security Medal Recipient
Kenneth Concepcion
Position: Chief of U.S. Flag Deepdraft Vessels and Plan Review
Agency: U.S. Coast Guard
Location: Staten Island, New York
Achievement: Directed the safe and orderly seaborne evacuation of 70,000 confused and frightened people from Lower Manhattan amidst the chaos of the September 11 attacks.
2002 Justice and Law Enforcement Medal Recipient
Robert Rutherford
Position: Criminal Investigator/Group Supervisor
Agency: U.S. Customs Service
Location: Miami, Florida
Achievement: His initiative, leadership and ability to organize multi-agency personnel into a cohesive unit led to a reduction in narcotics trafficking and crime in South Florida.
2002 National Security Medal Recipient
Alfred League
Position: Division Chief, Imagery and Geospatial Sciences
Agency: National Imagery and Mapping Agency
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Achievement: His technological innovations provide American military personnel with real-time information they need to ensure operational success and protect our national security.
2002 Science and Environment Medal Recipient
Donald Sweeney
Position: Senior Regional Economist
Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Achievement: Saved taxpayers $1.5 billion in unnecessary construction projects after refusing orders to improperly falsify data.
The Service to America Medals are presented annually by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service to celebrate excellence in our federal civil service.
