Washington, DC - U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Linda M. Springer today convened 12 private citizens from the nation's capital region to consider nominations for the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive and Senior Professional. Appointees to the board are citizens from the private sector, academia, local government and retired Federal employees.

"Through the hard work of these board members, we are able to reward leaders for exceptional performance in the Federal Government," Director Springer said. "Board members will be making recommendations on career civil servants who have shown an ability to excel and inspire, and have truly shown a relentless commitment to serving the American people."

The criteria used to evaluate nominees for the award include the ability to lead change and people, being results driven, having business acumen, with the ability to build coalitions/communications, and having stature in a professional field.

At the conclusion of the panel's decision-making process, they will submit their recommendations to Director Springer, who will then send her recommendations to President George W. Bush.

The President will make the final selections and announce the award recipients later this year.

Members of the 2008 Presidential Rank Award Distinguished Review Board are:

• Todd A. Boulanger, Senior Vice President, Cassidy & Associates
• Scott J. Cameron, Director, Grant Thornton Global Public Sector
• Norm Enger, Office of Personnel Management (Retired)
• Glenda Etchison, Department of Education (Retired)
• Garry Ewing, Director, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
• Lindsay Hutter, Senior Vice President, Hill & Knowlton
• Joe Mancias, Department of Homeland Security (Retired)
• Cheryl Soderstrom, Practice Development, EDS US Government Solutions
• Christopher Staszak, Attorney, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
• Reverend Dick Stetler, Senior Pastor, St. Matthew's United Methodist Church
• Vicki Taylor, Coordinator of Professional Development Schools, Arlington Public Schools; Adjunct Associate Professor, Marymount University
• Tiffany Watkins, Director, Orr Associates

Our mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.