Teams in the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) were recently recognized with the Seattle Management Association’s annual Community Service Award for FAS’ lead role in launching and operating the largest civilian-led vaccination site in the country at Lumen Field.

The FAS team, known as the Lumen Unified Command or LUC, brought together over 400 FAS staff as well as critical support from nearly a dozen departments across the City to open the Community Vaccination Site at Lumen Field in mid-March of 2021. In just three months, the site provided more than 102,000 vaccines to residents—an amount that accounts for nearly half of all vaccines administered by the City in 2021—and 44 percent of residents served at Lumen were BIPOC.

“I’m so proud of the FAS team. In just six weeks, they led the single largest mobilization of city resources in a generation and launched what became the city’s most ambitious undertaking over the course of the pandemic,” said FAS Department Director Calvin W. Goings, who served as Chief Executive Officer of the site and oversaw all operations.

The FAS teams were recognized during SMA’s annual awards ceremony on Dec. 2. Each year, the organization opens up nominations and recognizes teams that demonstrate excellence in city government. Last year, FAS teams won an award in nearly every category, while this year FAS was recognized with the Community Service Award and an Emerging Leader Individual Award given to Purchasing and Contracting Senior Policy Advisor Jesse Gilliam.

In awarding FAS with the Community Service Award this year, the organization recognized FAS teams for their work ordering 15,000 items to convert the 190,000 square foot space at Lumen Field into the largest civilian-led vaccination site in the country. Equity was central to all site operations and resulted in FAS launching a free community shuttle to and from the site, having all information translated into more than eight languages and having 35 in-person interpreters at all times, in addition to portable devices that interpreted medical information in more than 200 languages.

A number of notable dignitaries, lawmakers and public health officials visited the site to learn about operations. These included U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah, as well as soccer and basketball stars Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird, who volunteered at the site.

“The day we opened our doors to the public at Lumen, I said the road to recovery for the City would run through Lumen Field. And it did,” Goings said. “That road was built by the committed teams at FAS and from across the City family. Thanks to them, the road ahead is bright and our city is well on its way to recovery.”

In the Individual Award’s category, Gilliam was recognized as an Emerging Leader for his outsized role in the City to ensure equity in purchasing and contracting. Some of the notable highlights of his work just in the past year alone include:

• Helping to launch the City’s Women- and Minority-Owned Business (WMBE) Advisory Committee 
• Launching a first ever City disparity study to examine and remove inequities in how the City does business
• And co-launching a Citywide, two-course WMBE training program for all City employees.

As the City continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gilliam also recently led implementation of a Mayoral Executive Order to ensure contractors, volunteers and vendors on City worksites are vaccinated and in compliance with City requirements.

“Jesse is both an amazing collaborator and an emerging leader within the City—one who has almost singlehandedly led and shepherded several high-stakes, citywide initiatives,” Goings said. “The entire FAS family thanks him and congratulates him on this well-earned recognition!”

FAS teams recognized with 2021 SMA Awards are:

The Community Service Award, Lumen Unified Command. Watch Video.

• Rebecca Stover
• Karen Gruen
• Julia Colson
• Franny Schwarz
• Calvin W. Goings
• Mickey Bannister-Mingo
• Beth Gappert
• Nonila Masmela
• Meredith Stone
• Mike Wong
• Julie Johnson
• Philip Saunders
• David Kunselman
• Julie Matsumoto
• Mike Ashbrook
• Jesse Gilliam
• Margaret Cesena
• Sherri Crawford
• Michelle Reed
• Torie Brazitis
• Katherine Schubert-Knapp
• Randy Cox
• Jessie Thelen
• Kiersten Grove
• Adrian Matanza
• Melissa Mixon
• Ray Sugarman
• Julie Tobin
• Elisa Young
• Cameron Findlay
• Rolanda Carriere
• Heather Hartley

The Emerging Leader Award, Jesse Gilliam. Watch Video.