Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals

Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals
	NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, right, presents the National Security and International Affairs Medal to Michael Duncan, former deputy chief medical officer at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston at the 2011 Sammies gala in Washington.
Awarded for	Making a significant contribution to the country.
Country	United States
Presented by	Partnership for Public Service
First awarded	5 October 2002
Website	http://servicetoamericamedals.org

The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, also known as "the Sammies", honor members of the federal government workforce, highlighting the work of employees making significant contributions to the governance of the United States. The awards are considered "the Oscars" of American government service.[1] The Sammies accordingly celebrate excellence in the federal merit service.[2]

Background

The awards have been presented annually since 2002 by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service to celebrate excellence in the U.S. federal civil service, and are named for Samuel J. Heyman, the organization's founder. To date, over 120 individuals and teams have been recognized.

Selection process

The Sammies are chosen from nominations collected each winter, and narrowed down to about 30 finalists announced mid-spring of each year during Public Service Recognition Week. The finalists are assessed, and from their ranks, eight awardees are selected by early fall. The Sammies selection committee is composed of nationally known journalists, political leaders, educators, and executives of large corporations. The eight awards cover the various sectors of federal public service. Honorees are chosen for their commitment and innovation, as well as the impact of their work on addressing the needs of the republic. Awardees are announced each fall at a dinner and awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The Sammies finalists are those federal employees confronting complex issues of governance, including environmental, national security, and economic challenges. One criterion of the award is to qualify from among a dynamic group of talented, bright individuals working on behalf of the American people. The awards are organized and presented by the non-profit organization Partnership for Public Service.

References

Stand-Out Public Servants Receive Coveted Service to America Medals at Washington, D.C. Gala; "Oscars" of Government Service Recipients Work in Washington, D.C., Colorado, Florida, California and Haiti (September 16, 2010); see also Timothy B. Clark, Making a Difference, National Journal (October 7, 2006).
Gabrielle Maxey, Risky Business, The University of Memphis Magazine (Fall 2010); see also Marie Gilbert, "Hagerstown man one of 34 finalists for the 2011 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals", Herald-Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland) (August 27, 2011) at 1 (reporting on the finalist Daniel P. Meyer from the Department of Defense).

Bibliography

External links

Service to America Medals

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[1] Stand-Out Public Servants Receive Coveted Service to America Medals at Washington, D.C. Gala; "Oscars" of Government Service Recipients Work in Washington, D.C., Colorado, Florida, California and Haiti (September 16, 2010); see also Timothy B. Clark, Making a Difference, National Journal (October 7, 2006).

[2] Gabrielle Maxey, Risky Business, The University of Memphis Magazine (Fall 2010); see also Marie Gilbert, "Hagerstown man one of 34 finalists for the 2011 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals", Herald-Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland) (August 27, 2011) at 1 (reporting on the finalist Daniel P. Meyer from the Department of Defense).