The Department of Commerce Silver Medal is the second highest of three honor awards of the
United States Department of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce is an executive department of the U.S. federal government concerned with creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for bu ...
. Since 1949, the Silver Medal is presented by the
Secretary of Commerce
The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...
for exceptional service.
[ The award may be presented to an individual, group, or organization in the Commerce Department for noteworthy or superlative contributions which have a direct and lasting impact with the department.][US Department of Commerce Performance Management Systems Handbook (Recognition Section) Chapter 10, Honor Award]
Retrieved February 9, 2015
The annual Department of Commerce Gold and Silver Medal Awards ceremony is held each fall at the Ronald Reagan Amphitheater in Washington, D.C.
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An individual and members of a group which is awarded the Silver Medal Award are each presented a framed certificate signed by the Secretary and medal. An organization receiving the award is presented one framed certificate signed by the Secretary and medal.
Award criteria
The Silver Medal Award is awarded for exceptional performance characterized by noteworthy or superlative contributions, which have a direct and lasting impact with the Department of Commerce.
To warrant a Silver Medal, a contribution must focus on qualitative and quantitative performance measures reflected in the Department of Commerce's strategic plan and be identified in one of the following areas:
* Leadership
* Personal and professional excellence
* Scientific/engineering achievement
* Organizational development
* Customer service
* Administrative/technical support or
* Heroism
NOAA Corps recipients
The (NOAA Corps) is eligible to send an overall total of 20 Gold and Silver nominations to the Department of Commerce per year.
The Silver Medal is awarded to an individual, group, or Commerce organization for extraordinary achievements in support of the critical objectives of the Department of Commerce with a significant beneficial effect on the Nation or world.[
* Achievement of important program goals, marked by excellence of performance and quality of results exceeding expectations;
* Scientific leadership or management resulting in substantial improvements in productivity, program effectiveness, or quality of the Department's service;
* Scientific technological contributions that significantly advance the understanding, knowledge, or mastery of a given discipline;
* Exceptional meritorious authorship or editorship that contributes significantly to the body of knowledge in a given field; or
* Unusual courage or competence in an emergency.
The NOAA awardees of the Silver Medal Award are presented a medallion by the Department of Commerce and ]NOAA Commissioned Corps
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, known informally as the NOAA Corps, is one of eight federal uniformed services of the United States, and operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administ ...
awardees are presented a full sized military style medal, miniature medal, and a full and miniature size service ribbon
A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...
provided from the Commissioned Personnel Center.[ Group or organizational recipients of the Silver Medal are authorized to wear a silver inch "O" device on the full size medal's suspension ribbon and service ribbon.][ Each additional award of the Silver Medal is denoted by a inch gold star for the full size medal suspension ribbon and service ribbon and a inch gold star for the miniature medal suspension ribbon.][
Individual and group members also receive a framed certificate signed by the Secretary of Commerce. Members of an organization awarded the Silver Medal each receive the award and the organization receives one framed certificate signed by the Secretary of Commerce to represent the entire organization.
]
Notable recipients
*Anita L. Lopez
Anita L. Lopez is a former officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps. She last served as the deputy director of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and deputy director for Operations of NOAA's Offic ...
* Michael J. Silahomao.noaa.gov Rear Admiral Michael J. Silah
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* Nancy Hann
* William L. Stubblefield
References
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Awards and decorations of the United States Department of Commerce