GITEC Summit Awards
We are excited to announce the 2017 GITEC Award recipients. Expanded to seven categories, the below individuals and teams demonstrated impressive innovation and ingeniuty, making them the well-deserving recipients of the 2017 GITEC Awards!
The award recipients will be presented during lunch on Monday, April 3.
Below are the award recipients for each category.
Project Management Award (Government)
For federal government projects that demonstrate excellence in project management.
U.S. Coast Guard Seawatch Project Team
SeaWatch is a government-developed shipboard Command and Control (C2) and Navigation system that interfaces with and integrates shipboard sensors and systems to provide a cohesive tactical picture to shipboard operators. Originally started in 2008 as the C2 system for the Fast Response Cutter acquisition, SeaWatch has since been adapted to nine additional asset classes, 65 cutters in total, through the use of modularity and commonality. Commonality ensures operators can be trained once and deployed anywhere. Modularity ensures system flexibility, scalability, and portability across different ship configurations. This system design enables the team to deliver targeted capabilities to the user with significantly less risk, cost and time.
In the past year, the SeaWatch Project Team has completely adopted Agile Development methodologies to design, develop and deliver updates with less risk and more impact to the end user. This transition has enabled a significant increase in fielded information assurance patches from semi-annually to every month. The SeaWatch Project Team is comprised of a diverse mix of 50 military, government and contract staff.
Rising Star Award (Government)
To a federal government individual at the beginning of his or her career who demonstrates the ability to complete mission relevant accomplishments that are impactful while maintaining composure.
Justin Noggle
Tactical Command Centers Asset Line Manager, Command, Control and Communications (C3CEN) Engineering Center, U.S. Coast Guard
Lieutenant Commander Justin Noggle reported to C3CEN in Portsmouth, Virginia, in July of 2015 from his previous assignment at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound where he was the Chief of Enforcement.
His previous operational assignments include Damage Control Assistant aboard Coast Guard Cutter RESOLUTE (WMEC 620), Communications Officer and Search and Rescue Controller at Coast Guard Group Miami, and Sector Command Center Chief at Coast Guard Sector Miami. Lieutenant Commander Noggle’s staff assignments include his current tour at C3CEN and the Headquarters Office of Shore Forces.
Lieutenant Commander Noggle was recently selected for promotion to the rank of Commander. His military awards include two Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and various unit and team awards.
Mission Service Award (Government)
To a federal government team that demonstrates the most outstanding mission service.
Command & Control Integration Team, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Mr. Gerald Lucas
Mr. Gerald Lucas started his government civilian service career with the Joint Staff J6 C4 Assessments Division in September 2009, as a Telecommunications Specialist. He is currently a project lead on multiple telecommunications projects consisting of Senior Leader Enroute Communications, C-17 and C-130 aircraft satellite communications and 4th Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) tactical communications, which includes a special project with Defense Information Systems Agency-Spectrum Office (DISA-DSO) for Spectrum Sharing of LTE frequency bands.
Prior to his civilian service, he was employed by General Dynamics-Information Technology in Chantilly, Virginia. During his tour at General Dynamics, he was assigned to the Special Technology and Applications Office, for the Department of Justice as site lead for Tier One/Two Information Technology Support.
Mr. Lucas is a U.S. Navy veteran, who had an outstanding 30 year naval career, having served numerous sea, shore and overseas assignments as an enlisted Radioman and Radio/IT Naval Officer. He retired from the Navy in October 2006 at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4.
Mr. Marcus S. Stewart
Mr. Marcus S. Stewart started his government civilian service career at Marine Forces Command as a Program Analyst (C2 and Intel) in May 2008. He accepted his current position within the Joint Chiefs of Staff, J6 as a Telecommunications Specialist/Government Project Lead in September 2009. Mr. Stewart is currently the project lead for several projects focusing on the security aspects of cutting edge technologies. This includes working closely with other organizations such as NSA, DISA, Combatant Commands and Services to deliver security solutions to the tactical edge.
Mr. Stewart retired as a Gunnery Sergeant from the United States Marine Corps after 20 years of service in 2006, where he served as a Communications Chief. Mr. Stewart served in various special assignments, to include Drill Instructor, Instructor at MOS School, Instructor at the Staff Non-commissioned Officer’s Academy, and Drill Instructor at Officer’s Candidate School.
Ms. Deborah Black
Ms. Deborah Black started her civilian service career in 1993 working for the Department of the Interior at the Bureau of Reclamation in Sacramento California as an Electrical Engineer for hydroelectric power plants. She then worked for the Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center at Pearl Harbor Naval Base also as an Electronic Engineer designing and installing communication systems. In 2001 she worked for Cryptologic Systems Group at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX as a Mechanical Engineer for MILCON projects. She accepted her current position with the Joint Staff J6 C4 Assessments Division in Suffolk, VA in 2002 working as an Electronic Engineer. She has cumulated over thirty years of Civil Service.
Her involvement in the Command and Control Integration project was the testing and integration of applications that provided real-time video, and a Common Operational Picture (COP) with collaboration capability.
Ms. Black served honorably in the United States Air Force for eight years as an Electronic Technician, and graduated from California State University with a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
Innovator Award (Government)
To a federal government employee who demonstrates the ability to think outside the box.
Mark Krzysko, Deputy Director for Enterprise Information, Acquisition Resources and Analysis, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics, Department of Defense
Mark E. Krzysko directs acquisition data management and analysis, technical transformation and shared services efforts to make timely, authoritative acquisition information available to support oversight and decision-making on the Department of Defense’s major programs—a portfolio totaling more than $1.6 trillion of investment funds over the lifecycle of the programs.
In 2016, Mr. Krzysko was invited to be a member of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Data Cabinet, which was initiated to lead the effort to make leveraging the power of data the norm across the federal government. In addition, he is a charter member of the Defense Science Interagency Working Group, which has a similar purpose. Mr. Krzysko's previous positions include Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Business Transformation and Deputy Director of e-Business, Defense Procurement & Acquisition Policy.
Innovator Award (Industry)
To an industry partner who demonstrates the ability to think outside the box.
Chris Howard, Vice President of Federal, Nutanix
Chris Howard is the Vice President of the Federal sales organization at Nutanix. In this role, he leads a multi-disciplinary team of more than 50 professionals in sales, engineering, channels, professional services and marketing to support U.S. Defense, Civilian, Intelligence, and FSI organizations. Chris’ expertise has developed over more than 20 years supporting Federal government customers in the areas of data center infrastructure, virtualization, and cloud computing. Prior to Nutanix, Chris held leadership positions at VMware and Dell. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from West Virginia University, and is an avid Mountaineers fan.
Leadership Award (Government)
To the federal government employee who demonstrates the ability to guide and inspire others, which in turn improves the federal IT sector.
CDR Brian Anderson
Branch Chief, Command and Control (C2) Systems, Command, Control and Communications Engineering Center (C3CEN), U.S. Coast Guard
Under Commander Brian Anderson's leadership, the C2 branch delivered engineering support and mission-critical capability to Coast Guard cutters and aircraft across the globe that facilitated safe navigation, expanded the nation’s maritime domain awareness, and aided in the execution of law enforcement, intelligence collection and search and rescue activities at sea. In 2016, the Coast Guard set a record for total drugs interdicted as a direct result of the use of C2 systems to provide tactical information to the Coast Guard’s counterdrug mission.
With more than 20 years of service, Commander Anderson has held operational command and technical staff assignments at sea and ashore, conducting a wide range of missions to support the maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship interests of the nation. He has more than ten years of cumulative sea time, and his staff assignments include the C4IT Systems Branch for Coast Guard Atlantic Area, the $1 Billion Rescue 21 Project and the Cutter Forces Branch staff at Atlantic Area. A native of Leicester, Massachusetts, Commander Anderson's military decorations include one Meritorious Service Medal, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals and three Coast Guard Achievement Medals.
Leadership Award (Industry)
To the industry partner who demonstrates the ability to guide and inspire others, which in turn improves the federal IT sector.
Joe Beel
Strategic Programs Manager, U.S. Public Sector, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Joe Beel is responsible for strategic development and relationship management for Cisco within the U.S. Department of Defense. Beel’s primary focus is on U.S. Navy programs and capabilities.
Prior to joining Cisco, Beel served 29 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a Captain. He served as a Navy helicopter pilot at sea and in various staff positions. He also has significant experience as an acquisition professional including tours of duty in program management, research and development and logistics. He commanded both Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC PACIFIC) and Naval Air Technical Data and Engineering Service Command (NATEC). He is a certified Lean, Six Sigma Black Belt and is Level III certified in Program Management; Lifecycle Logistics; Systems Engineering; and Production, Quality and Manufacturing.