GSA # 10513

June 16, 2008
Contact: Jen Millikin, (202) 501-1231
jennifer.millikin@gsa.gov                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

WASHINGTON — A senior travel executive at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is the winner of the first-ever National Travel Forum Icon Award, the agency announced today.

Becky Rhodes, Deputy Associate Administrator within GSA’s Office of Travel, Transportation and Asset Management, received the award during the 2008 National Travel Forum, in Atlanta, Georgia last week. The forum is the largest industry event for government travel professionals.

“Becky is the type of federal employee that the American people deserve and expect.  Her primary concern is making the federal government work better and more efficiently,” said Kevin Messner, GSA Acting Associate Administrator of Office of Governmentwide Policy.  “This award appropriately recognizes her significant contributions to reducing the cost of travel, increasing the government’s productivity with travel, and understanding the future of travel.”

In making the presentation, National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Bill Connors also announced that future awards will be called the “Becky Rhodes National Travel Forum Icon Award.”

“I am truly honored to be singled out amongst numerous travel policy professionals who are the best and brightest in our field,” Ms. Rhodes said. “I appreciate the sound work NBTA does, and am proud to be forever associated with the key contributions of future recipients.”

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GSA provides a centralized delivery system of products and services to the federal government, leveraging its enormous buying power to get the best value for taxpayers.

• Founded in 1949, GSA manages more than one-fourth of the government’s total procurement dollars and influences the management of $500 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 208,000 vehicles.

• GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 425 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services.

• GSA’s mission to provide superior workplaces, expert technology solutions, acquisition services, purchasing and E-Gov travel solutions and management policies, at best value, allows federal agencies to focus on their core missions.

Did You Know? In December 1995, GSA created its Office of Governmentwide Policy to consolidate its policy functions into a single organization.