From the Desk of Rob Hewell

Federal Executive Boards in Philadelphia and Baltimore recently recognized exceptional performance among federal employees as part of their “Excellence” awards programs.  The high caliber of nominees reminded me of the outstanding commitment to service and ingenuity we are so fortunate to have within federal government.  We were honored to have a number of our Mid-Atlantic PBS professionals recognized with “Excellence” awards for their contributions, which you can read about in this edition of Focus.  

Expertise, combined with ingenuity, is producing great things at the Veterans Affairs Regional Office and Insurance Center (VAROIC) in Philadelphia.  We completed installation of the largest solar panel array in Philadelphia at the VAROIC in 2010.  We have not rested on our laurels, and continue to drive new innovation in environmental performance.  In this edition of Focus, you’ll read about our recently piloted “reverse osmosis” project at the facility which has the potential to save three million gallons of water annually.

In this edition, you’ll also read how Mid-Atlantic PBS and U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) worked together to deliver a new Environmental Security Computing Center for NOAA.  Through teamwork, we delivered a complex, highly technical project under an aggressive schedule and within budget.

While we continue to innovate and develop state-of-the-art solutions for our client agencies, we also take time to reflect on those treasures in our inventory that provide a lasting, permanent presence in our communities.  The U.S. Custom House in Philadelphia is included in the 2012 Historic Building Poster Series which highlights historically significant buildings in the GSA inventory.  You can learn more about the U.S. Custom House in this edition of Focus, as well as how to receive your own copy of the poster.

It is always great to hear from our clients.  Needless to say, I was thrilled to receive a letter from the Honorable Judge Kent A. Jordan, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, praising the work of our Mid-Atlantic PBS team.  You can read in this edition about Judge Jordan’s recent successful chambers renovation at the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building in Wilmington, DE.

Despite—and perhaps even at times because of—difficult budgetary constraints, we continue to partner across federal government and use our collective expertise to provide innovative, efficient federal workplace solutions while reflecting on the architectural excellence of our nation’s public buildings.

Rob Hewell
Regional Commissioner
Mid-Atlantic Region, Public Buildings Service

This article is part of the Summer 2012 issue of the FOCUS newsletter. Please visit the Focus Newsletter page to read our newsletter. To subscribe to FOCUS, complete the online subscription form.