LOS ANGELES — More than 40 retired District employees responded to an invitation from Los Angeles District Commander Col. Kimberly Colloton to attend a “State of the District” presentation and lunch at the District headquarters Nov. 12.
The event provided an opportunity for information sharing, as the retirees were paired with current employees who hold or previously held their job. It also presented an opportunity to unveil the names of two retirees who were chosen to be honored as Distinguished Civilian Employees.
Jack Hughes, a management analyst who worked for the District from 1965 to 1982, was selected as the 2012 Distinguished Civilian Employee for his innovative ways of helping to save tax dollars and demonstrated leadership skills.
“Jack was the ‘go to’ guy in the District for 17 years,” said Dan Sulzer in the Planning Division. “And, he was the Golf Club President for 40 years!”
Sulzer said the fact that Hughes grew up during the Depression may have infused a sense of thriftiness in him, or the fact that he served in the military during WWII and the Korean War.
Regardless, he said, Jack always cared deeply about his work and put in the hours necessary to do a good job.
The 2013 Distinguished Civilian Employee selectee was Brian Moore, who retired in 2012 after serving 44 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Moore’s title at retirement was Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management, and, in that capacity, he served as the senior civilian in the District and was responsible for all of the District’s major projects and programs.
“Brian Moore provided the leadership to bring (the District) an extraordinarily high level of achievement and recognition as a high performing military, civil works, navigation, and interagency and international services organization during his time with the District,” said Kenneth Morris, deputy chief of Programs and Project Management Division. “He provided a consistent knowledge base to assist in addressing and solving issues that impacted the District and provided guidance to help the District execute its programs.”
Large posters with the photos of Hughes and Moore were ceremoniously unveiled by Colloton during the retiree luncheon. She congratulated and thanked them for their many years of dedicated service.
She closed the session by telling everyone present that, “ensuring the entire Corps of Engineers family stays in communication and is familiar with current happenings will always be vitally important to me.”