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Dr. Kevin Geiss, the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy, was a finalist for the Partnership for Public Service 2013 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America award. (Courtesy photo)
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AF energy chief 'service to America' finalist
Posted 5/9/2013 Updated 5/10/2013
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5/9/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The nonprofit Partnership for Public Service announced their 2013 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America medalists, which included a senior Air Force official.
Dr. Kevin Geiss, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for energy, was recognized as a finalist May 7 on Washington's Capitol Hill.
The finalists were honored as part of Public Service Recognition Week. The Service to America medals are regarded as the most prestigious awards to honor America's civil servants.
Geiss has been nominated to receive the Management Excellence Medal. This medal recognizes a federal employee for demonstrating superior leadership and management excellence through a significant contribution to the nation that exemplifies efficient, effective and results-oriented government.
For those Geiss works with, there is no question that he deserves this medal.
"No single individual has had more influence and impact in improving the Air Force's energy posture than Dr. Kevin Geiss," said Kathleen Ferguson, the Air Force's acting assistant secretary for installations, environment and logistics.
The Air Force is the largest single consumer of energy in the federal government, spending almost $10 billion a year on fuel and electricity. The energy bill constitutes more than 8 percent of the Air Force budget.
Under Geiss' leadership, the Air Force has been recognized as the Pentagon's top alternative energy user.
Although energy prices keep rising and costs have increased, the aviation initiatives instituted by the Air Force during Geiss's tenure surpassed the Air Force goal of lowering fuel consumption by 10 percent by 2015, achieving a 12 percent reduction in 2012 -- almost $1.2 billion in avoided costs, compared to 2006.
Related efforts also led to lowered energy consumption at Air Force facilities in 2012, avoiding $300 million in utility costs, compared to 2003.
In addition, Geiss has overseen the Air Force achieving 51 megawatts of renewable energy generation at 56 installations and the institution of a program to reduce extra fuel carried by transport aircraft while maintaining safety standards, resulting in annual savings five million gallons of fuel a year.
He has championed alternative fuels, including the certification of the entire Air Force fleet for unrestricted operations using 50/50 blends of traditional military jet fuel and synthetic or hydro treated jet fuel derived from renewable biomass.
"Energy is critical to everything we do in the Air Force," Geiss said. "Yet, meeting that need comes at a significant cost. We know that becoming more energy efficient can free up dollars for other priorities without compromising mission success."
"The Service to America Medal finalists reminds us all about the true value and spirit of public servants," said Max Stier, the Partnership for Public Service president and CEO. "Too often we only appreciate our government workforce in times of emergency or when services are no longer available to us. The medals shine a spotlight on the important work they do each and every day."
The finalists are contenders for eight Service to America Medals, including Federal Employee of the Year. Medal recipients will be announced October 3 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington.
Medal categories include Science and Environment, Homeland Security and Law Enforcement, National Security and International Affairs, Citizen Services, and Management Excellence.
The finalists' achievements range from new discoveries in space, improved hurricane forecasting and the first-ever use of genome sequencing to help stop the spread of deadly hospital-acquired infections to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, developing new approaches to treat drug addiction and helping small businesses get capital to grow and create jobs.
The Service to America Medal recipients will be chosen by a committee that includes leaders from government, academia, the private sector, the media and the philanthropic community.
Renamed the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals in 2010 to commemorate the organization's founder, the program has honored more than 400 outstanding federal employees since its inception in 2002.
More information about the program and the 2013 finalists' achievements is available at www.servicetoamericamedals.org.
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