The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Katrina McFarland, received the David D. Acker “Skill in Communication” Award. The Acker Award is the most prestigious of the awards sponsored by the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Alumni Association. It is presented annually to an individual who has promoted and communicated acquisition management and leadership excellence to the acquisition workforce.
During the presentation ceremony, DAU Alumni Association President Bill Bahnmaier remarked on the various events in which Mrs. McFarland participated. “I still vividly recall one of those forums which addressed how to prepare for – and the type of material required – to successfully present a program for decision at a Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) review meeting,” said Mr. Bahnmaier. “That was real communications and learning.”
Among other things, Mrs. McFarland was recognized for developing unique initiatives to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency in the defense acquisition system. Also noted were her dedication and commitment to increase the professionalism of the total acquisition workforce with the introduction of the Acquisition Workforce Qualification Initiative, and her inculcation of cost consciousness and affordability across the acquisition community.
The Acker Award was created in memory of the late David Acker, a staff specialist in the Directorate of Defense Research and Engineering who played an active role in preparing the charter for the original Defense Systems Management College. Previous Acker Award winners include current and former Under Secretaries of Defense and former industry Chief Executive Officers.
Subscribe to Access AL&T is the premier online news source for the Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (AL&T) Workforce.
Subscribe
