Air Force secretary presents small business achievement awards

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The secretary of the Air Force presented the 2008 and 2009 Small Business Programs Special Achievement Awards at the Air Force Office of Small Business Programs Conference Nov. 17 here.

"Because of their size, these smaller companies have great advantages over their much larger competitors, namely innovation, agility, and efficiency," Secretary Michael B. Donley said. "Despite recent trends toward supplier consolidation, there is no doubt that a larger and more diverse industrial base yields a greater number of options at decreased expense - a positive outcome for the Air Force, and the American taxpayer."

The award recipients demonstrate that the Air Force is reaching "Beyond Goals" to grow and strengthen its ability to deliver small business solutions as the solutions of choice in meeting the Air Force mission in air, space and cyberspace, said Ronald A. Poussard, the Air Force Office of Small Business Programs director.

The "Beyond Goals" vision realizes the value of small business is truly measured by what small businesses positively contribute to the mission and priorities of the Air Force.

"'Beyond Goals' pushes past percentages to ensure our warfighters have access to a comprehensive set of capabilities," Mr. Poussard said. "Small business specialists around the Air Force are aggressively working with customers and contracting officers to create strategies that ensure the innovation, agility and efficiency of small businesses are readily available for the warfighter."

Recipients of the fiscal 2008 awards are:
-- The Small Business Specialist, Full Time winner is Arthur Dinwiddie of the 37th Contracting Squadron from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
-- The Small Business Specialist, Part Time winner is Judith Croxton of the 20th Contracting Squadron from Shaw AFB, S.C.
-- The Activity/Unit with a Full-Time Small Business Specialist winner is the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah, and the 21st Space Wing at Peterson AFB, Colo.
-- The Activity/Unit with a Part-Time Small Business Specialist winner is the 437th Contracting Squadron at Charleston AFB, S.C.
-- The Team Award goes to the 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing of the Contract Fields Team Program Office at Tinker AFB, Okla.
-- The Contracting Professional is Lance Hardman of the 558th Aircraft Sustainment Group at Hill AFB, Utah.
-- The Small Business Champion is Diane Perry of the 30th Space Wing from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
-- The Director of the Office of Small Business Programs Recognition Award goes to Patricia Barber of the Air Education and Training Command Contracting Squadron at Randolph AFB, Texas.

Recipients of the fiscal 2009 awards are:
-- The Small Business Specialist, Full Time winner is Reggie Selby of the 21st Space Wing from Peterson AFB, Colo.
-- The Small Business Specialist, Part Time winner is Kathy Edenborough of the 437th CS at Charleston AFB.
-- The Activity/Unit with a Full-Time Small Business Specialist winner is the 12th Contracting Squadron at Randolph AFB.
-- The Activity/Unit with a Part-Time Small Business Specialist is the 2nd Contracting Squadron at Barksdale AFB, La.
-- The Team Award goes to the 693rd Armament Systems Squadron, Lethal Suppression of Enemy Air Defense Harm Targeting System Team at Eglin AFB, Fla.
-- The Contracting Professional is Douglas Willard of the 6th Contracting Squadron at MacDill AFB, Fla.
-- The Small Business Champion is Douglas Poore at the Air Force Research Laboratory at the Rome Lab, N.Y.
-- The Director of the Office of Small Business Programs Recognition Award goes to Carol White of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

The awards were presented in the opening session of the 2009 Air Force Small Business Fall Training Conference. This year's theme is "Beyond Goals for the Air Force Mission." The conference ends Nov. 19.