Medal of Merit Award

This award is for a sustained level of dedicated service to AFCEA, combined with professional excellence at a mid to senior level in the fields of communications, electronics, intelligence and information systems. AFCEA contributions will be more heavily weighted than C4I community contributions in the decision process. Winners are selected by the AFCEA International Awards Committee.  Nominees for this award are evaluated through December of the previous year.

The Medal of Merit nomination will be graded on the following:

AFCEA participation and contributions

•  Details of specific initiatives taken to strengthen AFCEA at a strategic level, such as measures to increase participation, involvement of organization/colleagues

AFCEA recognition

• Nominees for this award are expected to be previous Meritorious Service Award winners, and are ranked accordingly during the voting process
• Other AFCEA recognition including at the chapter level

Professional accomplishments

• Exceptional professional performance in the fields of communications, electronics, intelligence, and information systems with documented examples

Recognition

•  Other professional awards/achievements

Criteria

• Must be a current AFCEA member
• Must have been active in AFCEA for at least four years before being nominated for this award
• Must have held at least two positions on an AFCEA board/committee at the chapter level
• Must be able to document a minimum of five significant AFCEA achievements in the past two years
• If a previous Meritorious Service Award winner, the award must have been won at least two years prior to being nominated for this award
• Cannot have previously won this Medal of Merit
• Individual cannot nominate themselves
• Nomination must be endorsed by the nominee's AFCEA Regional Vice President (RVP)

 Nominate a candidate

2021 Medal of Merit Winners

Col Scott Beidleman, USAF (Ret)

Millennium Engineering and Integration

Los Angeles Chapter

 

Lt Col Sanford S. Ching, USAFR (Ret)

USINDOPACOM

Hawaii Chapter

 

Kathleen Cowles

Deep Water Point
Bethesda Chapter

 

Julie Goetz

TEKSystems
Atlanta Chapter

 

Petr Hruza

University of Defence, Brno
Czech Chapter

 

Alisha Kelly

Trace Systems, Inc.
Northern Virginia Chapter

 

Lt Col Karen Lopez-Rolirad, USAF (Ret)

Bexar County Military and Veterans Services Center
Alamo Chapter

 

Lloyd McCoy

immixGroup
Northern Virginia Chapter

 

Larry Minnick

Centurum, Inc.
Hampton Roads Chapter

 

Phil Parker

Forescout Technologies, Inc.
Rocky Mountain Chapter

 

Paul Reimers

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
North Carolina Chapter

 

Eric P. Strauss

Connected Logistics
Belvoir Chapter

 

Josef Strelec
Czech Chapter

 

Yvonne Vermillion

Segue Technologies
Dayton-Wright Chapter

 

2020 Medal of Merit Winners

Mary Ann Carlson
COLSA International
Lexington-Concord Chapter

SMSgt William Ceglar, USAF
DISA Global Field Command
Wasatch Chapter

Linda Drake
BAE Systems – Electronic Systems
Northern Virginia Chapter

Kenneth Hirlinger
General Dynamics Information Technology
Tidewater Chapter

Col Jenniffer Minks, USAF (Ret)
Joint Staff J6
Hampton Roads Chapter

Linda Newton
Hawaii Chapter

Maj Gilberto Perez, USAF
505^th Communications Squadron
Emerald Coast Chapter

Bill Robinson
Frontier Technology Inc.
Alamo Chapter

Linda Tanzo-Alvarado
Sentek Global
San Diego Chapter

Amy E. Tuschen
eScience and Technology Solutions, Inc.
Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter

 

2019 Medal of Merit Winners

Top row left to right: Walter Lewis, CDR Neil Bourassa, USN (Ret), Marilyn Moysey, CAPT Bill Krayer, USN (Ret), David J. Kovach (Rick Liprey), Adrianna Templeton-Jones; bottom row left to right: Col Rod Pohlmann, USAF (Ret), Larry D. Davidoff, Lt Col Michael "Lane" Gilchrist, Jr., USAF, Lt Col Vanessa Johnson, USAF (Ret), Maj Katherine Stowe, USAF

Jeff Bloom

Waimanalo Blooms
Hawaii Chapter

CDR Neil Bourassa, USN (Ret)

Avineon, Inc..
Hampton Roads Chapter

Larry D. Davidoff

The Boeing Company
Los Angeles Chapter

David Dodds

Integrated Computer Solutions Inc.
Dayton-Wright Chapter

Lt Col Michael "Lane" Gilchrist, Jr., USAF (Ret)

Alpha Omega Group, LLC
Los Angeles Chapter

Brenda Howard

Raytheon Corporation
Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter

Lt Col Vanessa Johnson, USAF (Ret)

Rocky Mountain Chapter

 

MGen Jan Kase

Military Office, President of the Czech Republic
Czech Chapter

David J. Kovach

Telos Corporation
Alamo AFCEA

CAPT Bill Krayer, USN (Ret)

1010 Technology LLC
Northern Virginia Chapter

MGen (Ret) Miguel Leitao

AFCEA Portugal

 

Walter Lewis

Exeter Government Services
South Florida Chapter

Marilyn Moysey

Systek Technologies Inc.
Belvoir Chapter

Col Rod Pohlmann,USAF (Ret)

Rocky Mountain Chapter

 

Col Antonio R. António

Portuguese Army
Portugal Chapter

Maj Katherine Stowe, USAF

USAF Life Cycle Management Center
Lexington-Concord Chapter

Adrianna Templeton-Jones

Bering Straits Native Corporation
Dayton-Wright Chapter

 

2018 Medal of Merit Winners

Top row left to right: John McLaughlin, Ron Moore, Kathy Swacina, James Evans, Brian Knott, Bill Dunahoo; bottom row left to right: Palmer Sims, Brad Barker, Bob Wright, Dan Braun, Frank Arlotta, Marco Zompetti

Frank Arlotta

RF Products Inc.
New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania Region

Brad Barker

Array Information Technology
Bethesda Chapter

LTC Daniel G. Braun, USA (Ret)

Pocono Mountains Chapter

Mark Christensen

Crystal Clear Technologies, Inc.
Tampa-St. Petersburg Chapter

William S. Dunahoo, Jr.

Praxis Engineering
Central Maryland Chapter

James Evans

Iron Bow Technologies
Belvoir Chapter

Joy Hess

WakelightTechnologies, Inc.
Hawaii Chapter

Brian Knott

Array Information Technology
Montgomery Chapter

COL John E. McLaughlin, USA (Ret)

Tampa-St. Petersburg Chapter

Ronald Moore

Alamo Chapter

Lt Col William Page III, USAF (Ret)

Engility
Los Angeles Chapter

Palmer Sims

Hampton Roads Chapter

COL Kathy Swacina, USA (Ret)

Chameleon Integrated Services
Atlanta Chapter

Col Robert Wright, USAF (Ret)

Deloitte
Rocky Mountain Chapter

 

2017 Medal of Merit Winners

From left to right: Brian Cooper, Richard Lipsey, Chi-Lai Poon, Randy Ramos, David Scarbalis

Brian Cooper

BrainTrust
Central Maryland Chapter

RAdm Mario Durao, PRT N (Ret)

Portugal Chapter

Yolande Fong

Hawaii Chapter

Richard A. Lipsey

LMI
Alamo Chapter

Lynne M. Mills

633d Airman and Family Readiness Center
Tidewater Chapter

Janel Nelson

SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific
Greater Omaha Chapter

Chi-Lai Poon

Array Information Technology
Northern Virginia Chapter

Randy Ramos

Global Business Solutions Inc.
Pensacola Chapter

David Scarbalis

CA Technologies
Northern Virginia Chapter

Steve Staso

Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Los Angeles Chapter

 

2016 Medal of Merit Winners

From left to right: Ryan Cox, Shannon Hagy, David Hart, Eric Sloan, Jay Storms

SMSgt Kelly Bales, USAF

Alamo Chapter

Kimberly M. Burr

US Army Cyber Center of Excellence

Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter

Horace Carney

Janus Research Group

Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter

Ryan Cox

CACI, Inc.

Northern Virginia Chapter

Adam Feingold

TASC, an Engility Company

Los Angeles Chapter

Karin Grace

M2 Technology

Alamo Chapter

Shannon Hagy

Bart & Associates, Inc.

Bethesda Chapter

David Hart

Segue Technologies, Inc.

Dayton-Wright Chapter

Mark R. Sinclair

Margin Consults, Inc.

Hampton Road Chapter

Eric Sloan

1 Sync Technologies

Montgomery Chapter

LtCol Jay P. Storms, USMC (Ret)

Smartronix, Inc.

Quantico-Potomac Chapter

 

2015 Medal of Merit Winners

 

Cheryl Brown
Montgomery Chapter

Lt Col Laura R. Pope, USAF (Ret)
Los Angeles Chapter

Tim Ceteras
Rockwell Collins
Lexington-Concord Chapter 

Dr. Josef Pozar
Police Academy of the Czech Republic
Czech Chapter

CWO4 Clifton Jenkins, USN (Ret)
Hawaii Chapter 

Col Chad D. Raduege, USAF
690th Cyberspace Operations Group
Alamo Chapter

Sam Jones
SAP National Security Services
Northern Virginia Chapter 

Thomas Ryan
CACI
Northern Virginia Chapter

James Lee
ITG Inc.
Hampton Roads Chapter 

Linda M. Skinner
JJR Solutions
Dayton-Wright Chapter

Lt Gen Eduardo Mateus
Portuguese Army
Portugal Chapter 

Johnnie Young
Federal Reserve Bank, Atlanta
Atlanta Chapter

Col Philip Platt, USAF (Ret)
Rocky Mountain Chapter 

2014 Medal of Merit Winners

Robert Wes Bond
USAFE/A6
Kaiserslautern Chapter

Prof. Paul Svasta
University Politehnica, Bucharest
Bucharesti Chapter

Jane Ferreira
Hawaii CTS
Hawaii Chapter 

Thomas Wells
Dayton Aerospace, Inc.
Dayton-Wright Chapter

Dr. Ing. Marcel Harakal
Slovak Armed Forces Academy
Slovak Chapter 

Robert White
Rocky Mountain Chapter

SMSgt Keith R. Jordan, USAF
Alamo Chapter 

Bill Wright
Marine Corps University
Quantico-Potomac Chapter

CAPT Mario Simoes Marques, PRT (N)
Portuguese Navy
Portugal Chapter 

Michelle Youngers
Raytheon Cyber Products Company
Northern Virginia Chapter

Paul Patton
CACI
Northern Virginia Chapter 

Harold Youra
Alliance Solutions
Bethesda Chapter

Joyce Sidopoulos
JFS Solutions, LLC
Lexington-Concord Chapter

2013 Medal of Merit Winners

Irene Biddy
Oasis Systems
Lexington-Concord Chapter 

James Kohlmann
Rocky Mountain Chapter
  
Eduardo Branco
Portugal Chapter 

David Landry
Atlanta Chapter
  
Robert Damen
Raytheon
Augusta-Fort Gordon Chapter 

Jaroslav Pejcoch
T-SOFT a.s.
Czech Chapter
  
John Hardt
General Dynamics Information Technology
Montgomery Chapter 

Miki Sinisi
ManTech International
Northern Virginia Chapter
  
Tim Harschutz
Fleet Cyber Command
Hampton Roads Chapter 

Richard Wegmann
DCI
Dayton-Wright Chapter
  
Maj Andrew Heo, USAF
Rocky Mountain Chapter 

Col Paul Welch, USAF
688th Information Operations Wing
Alamo Chapter
  
Jeffrey Katz
Lexington-Concord Chapter 

2012 Medal of Merit Winners

Mitch Abel
AFCEA Atlanta 

Bill Jones
DSA, Inc.
  
Louis Bianco
DISA Oklahoma City 

Cory Lindo
Hewlett Packard
  
Brig Gen Bruce Bohn, USAF (Ret.)
Bohn Consulting Services, LLC 

Jean McLeish
Steria
  
Dr. James Cunningham
JA Cunningham Consulting, LLC 

Keith Snook
Booz Allen Hamilton
  
CDR Chris Cusano, USN (Ret.)
Next Tier Concepts Inc. 

Patricia Teschke
The MITRE Corporation
  
Greg Gorman
GigaTrust

Larry Watlington
Global Cyberspace Integration Center
  
Gayle Grant
U.S. Army RDECOM, Communications-Electronics Research, Development & Engineering Center 

2011 Medal of Merit Winners

Paulo Amaral
Portugal Chapter

Patrick Dagle
ESC/HSSS

Chuck Giasson
LGS Bell Labs Innovations

Patrick Kelly

Donna Russell
AT&T

Floyd Sherrod
DISA

Charles Strimpler
Sabre Systems

Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham
The University of Texas at Dallas

Joseph Yavorsky
7th Signal Command (Theater)

Col Ronald Zich, USMC
U.S. Marine Corps

2010 Medal of Merit Winners

Brenda Colton
Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command

Norris Connelly
NCI Information Systems, Inc.

Steve Gaudreau
Smartronix, Inc.

Jim Loiselle
Accenture

Randy Martin
82nd Communications Support Squadron

Olan Waldrop
Apptis

Air Commodore Bruce Wynn, RAF (Ret.)
Consultant

2009 Medal of Merit Winners

Alvie Johnson
DataPath Inc.

Karl Kabanek
PESystems

VADM Emil Lyutskanov, Bulgarian Navy
1st Deputy Chief of General Staff
Bulgarian Armed Forces

Steve Makrinos
CACI

Lynn Moad
Wright-Patterson AFB

2008 Medal of Merit Winners

Frances Duntz
Electronic Systems Center

Lt Gen Pietro Finocchio, ITAF
TELEDIFE

Nancy Hearrell
Kratos

Thomas Jaycox
ESP Corporation

Dr. Stephen Quilici
Harris Corporation

Susie Sablan
BAE Systems

Martha Soles
U.S. Strategic Command - JTF GNO

Click here for a complete list of AFCEA Awards and nomination forms.

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