Teams in the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) were recognized this week for their excellence in leadership on Citywide projects, including helping to stand up the City’s four mass COVID-19 test sites and working to end racial disparities in the City’s employment and contracting.

The department was recognized by the Seattle Management Association (SMA) in its annual Excellence in Leadership Awards, which recognizes significant accomplishments and contributions of public employees. More than 70 nominations were submitted this year in six team awards categories. Of them, FAS teams received the top award in all but two categories and they and other teams were recognized during a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 5.

“I am so proud of these teams. They are constantly working behind the scenes to provide the services residents deserve and expect from their City—whether that’s building more equitable employment and contracting opportunities or providing the supplies, personal protective equipment and logistical lead to our partners in the Seattle Fire Department to help stand up the City’s COVID-19 test sites,” said FAS Department Director Calvin W. Goings. “They are public servants in the truest sense, and I’m honored to have them as colleagues.”

FAS teams being recognized include:

• The Community Service Award, awarded to Seattle Animal Shelter’s Kenneth Haymon. This award recognizes Kenneth’s
  

  Kenneth Haymon, pictured left, was awarded the Community Service Award.

  outstanding leadership and tireless efforts in addressing and raising awareness about racial equity and social justice at the Seattle Animal Shelter and in the community. Kenneth has represented the animal shelter as a member of the FAS Change Team and worked with leadership in establishing the Animal Shelter REACH team. With its 10 members, the REACH team focuses on establishing relationships and partnerships with the BIPOC community, identifying innovative ways to virtually engage, and creating an internal culture focused on anti-racism.

• The Planning and Project Management Award, awarded to teams in FAS, the Seattle Fire Department, City Budget Office, Mayor’s Office, Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Office of Intergovernmental Relations, Seattle Department of Human Resources and the Human Services Department. FAS was charged with helping stand up and support the test sites.
  

  A mass COVID-19 test site launched by the City of Seattle, with help from FAS.

  The department identified the sites, stood them up, produced signage, fielded calls—sometimes several hundred a day from residents inquiring about how to get tested—and procured all the supplies, including swabs and vials, gowns, gloves and other critical PPE. An example of just what that work entails, each test site goes through 10,000 pairs of gloves a week. That’s 40,000 pairs a week that FAS is responsible for securing and distributing. Since launching, the sites have administered more than 309,000 tests and they’re ensuring residents can get tested earlier, easier and faster. FAS employees recognized include:

• • Randy Cox
  • Karen Gruen
  • Ryan Kennedy
  • David Kunselman
  • Julie Matsumoto
  • Melissa Mixon
  • Michelle Reed
  • Philip Saunders
  • Katherine Schubert Knapp

 

• The Race and Social Justice Award, awarded to the FAS Community Workforce Agreement Racial Equity Toolkit Team (RET). In 2020, the RET team closely examined the City’s Priority Hire Program and its Community Workforce Agreements, or CWAs. These are the City’s mechanism for prioritizing the hiring of people of color, women and residents that live in economically distressed areas on public works construction projects. Through the RET, FAS’ Purchasing and Contracting division used data, and stakeholder and community feedback to help remove barriers for Minority-owned Business Enterprise contractors. Their strategies have included more technical support and training, increased partnerships across city, and review and analysis of policies and practice. Thanks to their work, the City is more deliberate in its inclusion of minority-owned business contractors and employees in the City’s Priority Hire Program are earning livable wages and thriving in new careers. The RET team award winners include:

• • Anita Adams
  • Liz Alzeer
  • Miguel Beltran
  • Jon Bersche
  • Allison Calvert
  • Michael DeGive
  • Rick Dimmer
  • Jeanne Fulcher
  • Jesse Gilliam
  • Martin Norman
  • Anna Pavlik
  • Julianna Tesfu

 

• And, finally, the Environmental Stewardship Award, awarded to the Office of Sustainability & Environment, Office of Planning & Community Development, Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Public Utilities and FAS contributors for supporting the Duwamish Valley Program. The program is a multi-departmental effort to advance environmental justice and equitable development; address health and racial disparities; build community capacity; create economic opportunity; and build trust in government in Duwamish Valley neighborhoods. FAS employees included in the award are:
• • Liz Alzeer
  • Jesse Gilliam

 

FAS also had several employees who were nominated and recognized with honorable mentions for their work in the individual awards categories. They are:

• Kellie Allen, Change Team Member and former Co-Lead, Fleet Management, nominated in the Emerging Leader Awards
• Philip Saunders, Deputy Division Director, Logistics and Emergency Management, nominated in the Emerging Leader Awards
• Ryan Kennedy, Interim Deputy Division Director, Capital Development, nominated in the Planning and Project Management category.
• Ming Poon, Business Systems, nominated in the Community Service individual award category.

 

“For all of our colleagues listed above, I know there were countless others in the FAS family who worked to support these employees and this work,” Goings said. “FAS has and continues to be the glue that holds City operations together and I’m proud to see this work recognized by our peers and the City.”