Commissary employees honored with Blackwell Leadership Award

By DeCA Office of Communication

Norfolk, Va. The Defense Commissary Agency has selected a zone manager in South Korea and a comptroller in Germany as the winners of the Blackwell Leadership Award for 2010.

Christine Frey, a comptroller from DeCA Europe's regional office headquarters in Kapaun Air Station, Germany, and Wayne S. Walk, a Korea zone manager based at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, South Korea, are the first co-winners of the Blackwell Award since the honor was established 16 years ago.

The leadership honors were part of several commissary awards – ranging in areas from best commissaries to merchandising to outreach to recycling – given to DeCA employees during the weeklong 2011 Conference and Training Event.

"This honor salutes DeCA's leaders at any level who serve as inspiration to all of us with their talent, enthusiasm and dedication," said Joseph H. Jeu, DeCA Director and CEO. "Without hesitation, they take on the tough challenges, and they work tirelessly to strengthen and preserve the benefit for military people and their families. Ms. Frey and Mr. Walk exemplify the selfless service that rallies others to work harder, serve better and aspire to do great things for this agency and our customers."

First presented in 1996, the annual award recognizes a DeCA employee who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, courage and integrity in the performance of his or her duties.

The Blackwell Leadership Award is named in honor of the late Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Michael W. Blackwell. He had served with the Air Force Commissary Service before the consolidation into DeCA in 1991, and he became the agency's senior enlisted advisor to the director from March 1994 to March 1995. Battling cancer, Blackwell retired from DeCA on Feb. 9, 1995, after 22 years of service, and passed away on April 5, 1995, at age 44.

DeCA's current senior enlisted advisor to the director, Command Sgt. Maj. John M. Gaines Jr., spoke about Blackwell's legacy during the awards' event.

"Although I did not have the pleasure of knowing Chief Master Sgt. Blackwell, the many testimonies of those who knew him validate that he possessed these values – strong character, exceptional leadership skills and constant pursuit of excellence – and shared in a belief that it is the people that make the difference," Gaines said. "And, so it is appropriate that we honor employees who embody those same character traits."