Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employee of the Year explained

Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employee of the Year was an annual award given by the United States Civil Service Commission beginning in 1969, to recognize exceptional job performance "in spite of severely limiting physical factors."[1] For the first few years, ten finalists were selected by a committee, from among the nominations from federal agencies, and one winner was named. Beginning in 1973, the ten finalists were honored without a single winner chosen.[2]

Prominent finalists for this award included chemist Odette L. Shotwell, Army engineer Alice Chancellor, and John Fales, founder and president of the Blinded American Veterans Foundation.[3] A 1986 recipient, LeRoy MItchell, explained to a reporter that "If there's any benefit to these awards after all, besides an ego trip for me, it would be that potential employers would realize that most office-type work is the kind of vocation anyone can handle with severe handicaps."[4] Others expressed concern that "the use of an individual's physical condition as a basis for reward fosters separateness and inequality."[5]

Award nominees, winners, and presenters, 1968 to 1973

This chart is complete, based on program from the 1973 awards presentation in 1974.

!Award year!Ceremony date!Presenter(s)!Finalists!Winner
1968March 25, 1969Spiro AgnewRobert E. HamptonKatherine A. NiemeyerThomas J. Garrick

William S. Grayson

James A. Krueger

Lawrence P. Kuykendall

Neal V. Loving

Odette L. Shotwell

Paul F. Spence

Aubrey T. Tapley

Elwood Williams III

Katherine A. Niemeyer[6]
1969March 19, 1970James E. JohnsonHarold RussellRobert L. SmithJimmy D. Adams

Thomas S. Austin Sr.

Jay Justin Basch[7]

Mrs. Francis B. Garcia

Ralph Harwood

Dorothy Hickey

Earl A. Miller

Philip P. Pepper

Magdalene Phillips

Robert L. Smith
1970March 25, 1971Pat NixonJ. Philip BohartAlice ChancellorWilliam J. Gobert

Susan Gonzales

Pruett B. Helm

Kent H. McKnight[8]

Eugene F. Murphy

Richard S. Sharp

Timothy A. Votaw

Leon G. Wichmann

Robert E. Wilkerson[9]

Alice Chancellor
1971April 6, 1972Tricia Nixon CoxJayne Baker SpainShirley K. PriceWallace E. Brooks

Donald F. Cudahy

Martha F. Elam

Thomas F. Linde

Edward A. Lusk

John B. McGinley

Bernard A. Perella

Patricia Porembski

Jack G. Lorts

Shirley K. Price[10]
1972April 5, 1973Julie Nixon EisenhowerIrvin HershowitzArthur R. Bietry

Lillian F. Freston

James J. Hazuga Sr.[11]

Edmund H. Inselmann[12]

Paul L. Kyle

Assunta Lilley

Jack O. McSpadden

Arthur H. Neill Jr.

Gwenyth R. Vaughn

Irvin Hershowitz
1973[13] April 4, 1974Bob DoleJayne Baker SpainRobert L. BatesEdwin C. Boyles

William L. Brewster

Frank G. Chituras

Icy D. Deans

Howard J. Garling

Cheryl Lee Maloney

Oral O. Miller

John R. Stodgell

Russell C. Williams

(no individual winners after 1972)

Award finalists and presenters after 1973

This chart is currently incomplete, based mostly on announcements about individual finalists.

!Award year!Ceremony date!Presenter(s)!Finalists
1974March 1975Howard Davis[14] Billy West[15]
1975Edward V. Pope[16]
1977[17] October 6, 1977Rosalynn CarterSharon Hovey WilkinRobert Adams

Dennis Meyers

Christopher Branigan

Donna Pastore

1978Earl Brawner[18]
1979[19] October 4, 1979Eleanor Holmes NortonAlan K. "Scotty" CampbellG. Robert HillDonald R. Ames

Paul E. Bricker Jr.[20]

Hilliard A. Carter

Carol A. Edwards

John J. Lacombe II

Theodore A. Nichols

Emily S. Ortt

A. Leigh Phillips

James R. Slagle

1980Jimmy CarterJohn L. Moser[21] Douglas Gower[22]

Edward Sanders[23]

1981William Gilliland Jr.[24] Robert A. Bottenberg[25]
1982October 1982Caspar WeinbergerHumberto R. Yglesias[26] Eva Ball[27]
1983Theodore Bridis
1986October 9, 1986LeRoy MitchellMartha Wells Usry[28]
1988Sandra Drake[29]

References

  1. News: 1979-03-09. Handicapped Employee Example for Others. 4. The Lompoc Record. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  2. Book: The Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employees Award Program. U.S. Civil Service Commission.. April 4, 1974. en.
  3. Web site: Dalecki. Ken. John Fales, 78, known as "Sgt. Shaft". 2021-10-07. National Press Club. en.
  4. News: Adams. Elaine. 1986-10-16. Wheelchair No Handicap to Doing the Job. 3. The Kansas City Star. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  5. Barad. Cary B.. Gold. Irene. January 1978. Honor or Stigma?. Civil Service Journal. 18. 30–31. Internet Archive.
  6. News: 1969-10-10. VA Handicapped Employes Being Honored This Week. 16. The Raleigh Register. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  7. May 19, 1982. A Natural in the World of Science. USDA. 41. Internet Archive.
  8. News: April 9, 1971. Former Prof Wins Citation. 8. Daily Universe. October 7, 2021. Internet Archive.
  9. March 19, 1971. Wilkerson, ITS Physicist, in Finals for 1971 Handicapped Employee Award. NOAA Week. 2. 5.
  10. May 11, 1972. Black Woman Honored as Top Handicapped Employe in Federal Government. Jet. 42-43. 14.
  11. News: 1973-03-23. ESO Handicapped Employee Named for Outstanding Top Federal Award. 8. Great Lakes Bulletin. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  12. Web site: December 4, 2007. Edmund Inselmann: Overcame handicaps, 81. 2021-10-07. Philadelphia Inquirer. en.
  13. Staples . Edward . April–June 1974 . Disabled, but Able . Civil Service Journal . 14 . 5–8.
  14. News: 1975-03-29. Blind Alameda Mechanic is Top Federal Worker. 11. Oakland Tribune. 2021-10-08. Newspapers.com.
  15. July 1979. West Wins Award. Braille Book Review. 48. 6. Internet Archive.
  16. May 1975. Extension Employee Honored by Civil Service Commission (CSC). Extension Service Review. 46. 23. Internet Archive.
  17. News: Whitaker. Joseph D.. October 20, 1977. Handicapped Workers Cited for Achievements. The Washington Post. October 6, 2021.
  18. Spring 1982. A Man with Something to Say. Closer Look. 1. Internet Archive.
  19. September 1979. 1979 Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employees. Spotlight. 11. 1, 4. Internet Archive.
  20. Hazlett. Kirk. December 1979. Bricker Wins DA Awards, Devens' Esteem. Journal of the U.S. Army Intelligence & Security Command. 2. 25. Internet Archive.
  21. News: 1980-10-09. Handicapped Army Employee Receives Civilian Service Award. 90. Asbury Park Press. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  22. Web site: October 7, 2020. Douglas Gower. 2021-10-07. Hannibal Courier Post. en.
  23. January 1981. Handicapped Federal Employee of the Year. The Deaf American. 33. 13–14. Internet Archive.
  24. News: Campbell. Sharon. 1981-12-10. Honoree Not Defeated by Physical Handicap. 20. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  25. News: 1981-10-02. Outstanding Federal Handicapped Employee Named. 4. The Hill Top Times. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  26. News: Ibanez. Armando P.. 1982-11-11. NAS Worker Gets National Honor. 76. Corpus Christi Caller-Times. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  27. Fall 1982. Philadelphia Staffer Wins 1982 Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employee Award. The GAO Review. 17. 10. Internet Archive.
  28. News: Skelton. Billy. 1986-09-07. Determination leads to success, national recognition for Jacksonian. 87. Clarion-Ledger. 2021-10-07. Newspapers.com.
  29. Web site: 1988-10-17. Logan Woman Gains National Honor As Handicapped Employee of Year. 2021-10-07. Deseret News. en.

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