Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD – November 7, 2019 – Sec. James “Hondo” Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), recognized NAVAIR award recipients Capt. Tony Rossi and Holly Alemar at the Department of Navy’s acquisition awards ceremony Nov. 4 at the Pentagon.
The winners represent the very best of professionalism, ingenuity and accomplishment among their peers – the over 65,000 members of the acquisition workforce, Geurts said.
“It’s amazing how you as a team have stepped up to the challenge,” he said. “This is really, really hard work….I couldn’t be any happier than to be up on this stage to acknowledge these great men and women doing their part for our country.”
The DoN named Rossi as program manager of the year. This award recognizes a program manager whose outstanding leadership and achievement in acquisition best demonstrates the highest levels of professionalism in the acquisition field and provides improved effectiveness to the Navy and Marine Corps.
Rossi currently serves as the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (PMA-290) program manager. He manages the P-3 and P-8A aircraft and oversees a joint domestic and international team of more than 1,200 members.
“PMA-290 has received multiple program accolades which recognize a program team’s accomplishments and deliver unparalleled capability to our fleet,” said Maj. Gen. Greg Masiello, program executive officer for air anti-submarine warfare (ASW), assault, and special missions programs. “This award acknowledges a superior leader with acquisition acumen in leading domestic and international programs with great success. While a testament to a team accomplishment, we recognize Capt. Rossi’s leadership abilities which exemplify the right balance of perspective, perseverance, and performance.”
Rossi and the PMA-290 team also received he top Acquisition Excellence Award for “International Acquisition Partnership” in 2018.
Alemar, a procurement officer for PEO (U&W)’s Strike Planning and Execution Office (PMA-281) at Pax River, received the Art Diaz award, which is given annually to a Naval Acquisition Development Program (NADP) Entry Level Employee (ELE) selected Navy-wide from all systems commands and acquisition career fields. She previously supported both the Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) and Effects Deployment Office (FXDO) prior to joining PMA-281.
The Art Diaz Award recognizes a NADP ELE who displays the qualities that Arturo Alberto Diaz exemplified during his shipbuilding career at Naval Sea Systems Command. All award winners similarly have demonstrated how they will carry on his legacy of collaboration and teamwork.
“Holly is a consummate professional, a dedicated contracts specialist and most importantly an outstanding teammate who routinely goes above and beyond to work with, mentor, develop and aid others in contracting at NAVAIR,” said Justin Francis, U&W Procurement Department division head.
The DoN established the Acquisition Excellence Awards to recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated excellent performance in the acquisition of products and services for the Navy and Marine Corps.
A video of the awards ceremony can be viewed below.
