ALCOAST 186/21 - MAY 2021 FISCAL YEAR 2020 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

R 171641Z MAY 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 186/21
SSIC 1650
SUBJ:  FISCAL YEAR 2020 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS)
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
A. REF (A) COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 160659 NOV 20/ALCOAST 416/20
1. In accordance with REF (A), this message announces the Coast
Guard recipients of the 2020 Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Awards. The members below
were recognized for their exemplary contributions within the
DHS financial community over the past fiscal year (FY).
2. I am honored to announce the Coast Guard recipients of the
FY2020 DHS CFO Awards in the following categories:
    a. Excellence in Superior Mission Achievement, Excellence
in Audit Readiness: COMDT (CG-1) Actuarial Pension Liabilities
and Actuarial Medical Liabilities Audit Team, COMDT (CG-1),
Washington, DC. For the first time in ten years, the DHS
external auditor did not include Actuarial Pension Liabilities
and Actuarial Medical Liabilities in their audit report.
The COMDT (CG-1) internal auditors implemented audit process
improvements for a $63B expenditure portfolio. Success
exemplified excellence in government. The team consists of:
        (1) Thomas J. Flyntz
        (2) Michelle L. Bowman
        (3) Larry D. West
        (4) Cynthia M. Luna-Ketter
        (5) Kevin D. McCord
        (6) Rochelle W. Jackson
        (7) Nichol A. Nardozzi
        (8) Devona K. Carson
    b. Excellence in Superior Mission Achievement, Bill Mason
Excellence in Internal Controls: LCDR Michael Miller, COMDT
(CG-85), Washington, DC. As an Internal Control Manager and
Acting Deputy Office Chief for three months, LCDR Miller's
remarkable ability to unite efforts across the Coast Guard
resulted in marked improvements in the internal controls
audit opinion.
    c. Excellence in Superior Mission Achievement, Excellence
in Budget, Planning, and Evaluation: USCG Atlantic Area Budget
Execution Branch, Atlantic Area, Portsmouth, VA. This team
provided superior budget support to Coast Guard operations
responding to seven hurricanes, severe flooding, and an
earthquake during a global pandemic. It also prepared for
the upcoming transition to a new enterprise accounting system
while remaining compliant with all internal controls and
achieving a 99.7% accurate fiscal-year closeout.
The team consists of:
        (1) Michael G. Dorchak
        (2) Allen L. Freeman
        (3) LT James C. Biggs
        (4) LT Emmanuel J. Jones
        (5) LTJG Megan N. Benson
        (6) CWO2 Patrick D. Garvey
        (7) SKC Jennifer L. Rowe
        (8) Gary S. Icardi
        (9) Tracy Jacobs
        (10) Cynthia C. Barber
        (11) SK3 Gian C. Quinones
        (12) SK3 Daniel A. Smiler
    d. Excellence in Superior Mission Achievement, Excellence
in Budget, Planning, and Evaluation: David S. Wilhelm, Surface
Forces Logistics Center, Baltimore, MD. Demonstrating superb
initiative and analytical processes, Mr. Wilhelm achieved
unparalleled success managing one of the most difficult
budgeting, planning, and evaluation processes within the
organization. He integrated analytical rigor into resource
decisions, redirected personnel to stabilize operations,
and ultimately ensured the sustainment of critical supply
support to the fleet.
    e. Excellence in CFO Principles, Partnership Award:
Finance Center Integrated Project Team, Finance Center,
Chesapeake, VA. This team has made significant contributions
to the Transportation Security Administration’s migration to
the new DHS financial system. A DHS shared service provider,
they played a key role in readiness efforts to include data
clean-up, training, and system testing. 
The team consists of:
        (1) John Melchers
        (2) Paula Kitchen
        (3) Christine Long
        (4) CDR Michael Carroll
        (5) LCDR Jordan Boghosian
        (6) Deborah White
        (7) Candace Mianulli
        (8) Sharease Jackson
        (9) Ronald Couture
        (10) Naveen Kumar
        (11) Davinder Rajpal
        (12) Taromba Smith
        (13) Susan Ablett
        (14) Courtney Thompson
        (15) Latasha Girdy
        (16) Patricia Donahue
        (17) Atul Kumar
        (18) Kristina Estebo
        (19) John Snyder
        (20) LCDR Holly Deal
    f. Excellence in CFO Principles, Partnership Award:
USCG Common Appropriation Structure Transition Team, COMDT (CG-82),
Washington, DC. Showing tremendous collaboration and unity of
effort, this cross-component team facilitated the final transition
of Coast Guard Operations and Support funding into the Common
Appropriation Structure, a top CFO priority. Their tireless work
ethic and attention to detail overcame data incompatibilities
to ensure a timely and accurate submission to OMB.
The team consists of: 
       (1) LCDR Kira M. Moody
       (2) Jennifer L. Schiferl
       (3) LCDR James W. Ellsworth
       (4) CDR Jennifer M. Konon
       (5) LCDR Samantha J. Gordon
       (6) LCDR Chad M. Conrad
       (7) Timothy Barry
       (8) Kyle Smith
       (9) Christina J. Campbell
       (10) Jasmah M. Stewart
       (11) Valencia V. Ayers
       (12) Joetta V. Graham
       (13) Mary Helen Rainey
       (14) CDR Byron A. Creech
       (15) LCDR Francis A. Varrichio
       (16) LT Madeline A. Buchert
       (17) LT Jarrod A. Owens
       (18) LT Stefan A. Lewis
       (19) LCDR Stephen P. Fainer
       (20) Felix M. Edozie
    g. Excellence in CFO Principles, Meritorious Service Award:
Gerald K. Foster, Finance Center, Chesapeake, VA.Mr. Foster's
exemplary leadership prepared the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) for migration to the new DHS financial
system. As FINCEN’s primary payroll subject matter expert,
he played a key role in TSA’s user acceptance testing. 
    h. Excellence in Performance, Heritage Award:
Christina Stebbins, COMDT (CG-8C), Washington, DC. Ms. Stebbins
is recognized for outstanding financial transformation execution
for DHS, Coast Guard Headquarters and Finance Center, and
supporting field operations for more than 30 years.
    i. Excellence in Performance, Outstanding Leadership:
Jenica Huffman, Finance Center, Chesapeake, VA. Ms. Huffman's
exemplary leadership prepared the TSA for migration to the
new DHS financial system. Demonstrating exemplary foresight,
she developed specialized training to ensure her Branch was
prepared to support TSA in receivables management. 
    j. Excellence in Performance, Outstanding Employee:
Lucres Howerton, Finance Center, Chesapeake, VA. Ms. Howerton's
exemplary leadership prepared the TSA and Coast Guard for
migration to the new DHS financial system. She contributed
heavily to the development of a migration template for the
O2C line of business, ensuring the proper migration of
TSA’s accounts receivable data. 
    k. Excellence in Performance, Outstanding Employee: Jennifer
L. Schiferl, COMDT (CG-82), Washington, DC. Ms. Schiferl was
instrumental in the FY 2022 budget submission and a key architect
of the Coast Guard’s transition to the Common Appropriation
Structure, a top CFO priority. Her keen ingenuity and indefatigable
work ethic overcame technology limitations to complete the
largest reorganization to Coast Guard appropriations in 40 years.
    l. CFO Award for Excellence: CDR Chad Brick, COMDT (FMPS I
Team), Washington, DC. CDR Brick demonstrated exceptional
performance and initiative, creating real-time pandemic reporting
financial system within days for logistic management of 6.1M
COVID19 supplies critical to operational and personnel readiness.
Leveraging distinguished technical abilities, he developed 50
CFO training modules for 16,000 members and a performance metrics
system supporting DHS CFO Priorities.
3. I congratulate these award winners on their success. This
DHS-wide recognition is a testament to the tremendous effort
the Coast Guard is making at all levels of the financial
management enterprise to improve accountability and modernize
the fundamental financial processes by which we do business.
The work of the financial management community is critical to
the success of our service and directly contributed to DHS
achieving and maintaining an unmodified audit opinion.
4. I applaud all the nominees for their accomplishments and
their commanding officers and supervisors for taking the time
to submit well-deserved nominations. Successful mission execution
requires the very best mission support professionals who possess
in-depth technical knowledge, strong leadership skills, practical
experience, and professional credentials to effectively and
efficiently sustain our Coast Guard mission.
5. COMDT (CG-81) POC is Dianne Trawick, Dianne.S.Trawick@uscg.mil
or (202) 372-3722.
6. RDML Mark J. Fedor, Assistant Commandant for Resources/Chief
Financial Officer (CG-8), sends.
7. Internet release is authorized.