I am always grateful for the opportunity to honor those who are serving at the Interior Department.

It is a privilege to thank the shining examples in the Senior Executive Service (SES). None of those in the service have easy assignments. Even the program's acronym rhymes with "stress."

They - you - are the vital link between the political appointees and the career staff. You must deal with the concerns of both: The career people who are worried about where the department is going and the political people who wonder if it will ever get there.

You transform that stress into service. You make it happen. Neither the public - nor the Republic - would be well served without the Senior Executive Service.

If the link you represent was sundered, agencies would be rudderless. There would be direction without any action and action without any direction.

Instead, those of you in the Senior Executive Service make it work together. You who are being honored here have made it work exceptionally well. I am convinced that the Department of the Interior has the most committed and the most outstanding employees in the entire federal government.

The Department could not function without you. I wish that there was time to highlight each of your contributions. I have worked with most people on this list, and without exception they have been outstanding public servants.

For instance, Mr. Chris Oynes, who is receiving the Silver Executive Leadership Award, has dedicated himself to responsible energy production. He has conducted 20 oil spill preparedness drills and directed more than 23,000 safety inspections on offshore wells.

Scientists are notorious for their absentmindedness. Karen Baker, the Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. Geological Survey, has the thankless job of keeping their books and reminding them to keep their receipts.

Proving the existence of expensive equipment can sometimes be problematic - especially when that equipment is at the bottom of a river or is a satellite circling the earth.

But Karen has met bottom lines and made auditors happy. She, too, is receiving the Silver Executive Leadership Award for the outstanding results she has achieved in financial management and accountability.

The list goes on and on. Each of you here has done something extraordinary.

Pete Raynor was one of my first introductions to great talent and professionalism of Interior's career leadership. He is a knowledgeable lawyer. He is also perpetually cheerful.

I also got to know John Trezise during same time period. I respected him as lawyer before I knew his amazing ability to understand the federal budget. Ask him about any Interior program - no matter how small - and he will probably know about it.

If John doesn't know, Pam Haze will. Interior's budget in good hands with them.

Randy Jones and I share a love for Rocky Mountain National Park. He is a former Superintendent there. I called him frequently to solve problems when he became deputy director of the National Park Service.

Hord Tipton has transformed our department's computer system.

Bill Bettenberg is a jack of all trades in the policy shop, providing insights on everything from global warming to energy to salmon in the Klamath River.

Brian O'Neill was already selected to receive today's award before he arranged for me to visit the top of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Abe Haspel is one of those people working evenings and weekends to tackle Indian trust management.

But each of these individuals - each of you - has done more than finish agency projects or fulfill department goals. Each of you has given the golden gift of example. Each of you has set the standard for your colleagues in the Senior Executive Service to follow.

Many aspire to outstanding performance. You have shown how it should be done. As such, each of you has become an essential part of a great tradition of leadership.

So while I thank each of you for your outstanding example, I also urge you to pass that tradition on. The Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program needs mentors. Presidential Management Fellows often can use the guidance that you are uniquely positioned to provide.

I hope that you will seek out such opportunities to teach and to guide with the same energy you have sought for excellence in service.

Thank you for your outstanding service. Through your dedication and leadership, you have served the President, you have served the public, and most important of all, you have served the Republic.

Thank you.

-DOI-

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