Speech

REMARKS OF MR. DARRYL R. FRANCIS, CHAIRMAN, DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS COMMITTEE, AT THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARDS PROGRAM, STOUFFER’S INN, MARCH 13, 1970 -- THANK YOU, CARL WEBER, FOR THAT KIND AND FLATTERING INTRODUCTION. IT IS INDEED A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE. YOU HAVE MET THREE OF OUR COMMITTEE HERE AT THE SPEAKER’S TABLE AND TO THESE GENTLEMEN, AND OUR <S^MISSING MEMBER?, R*gR IS LU ROBERT HILLARD, GO MY SINCEREST THANKS FOR JOBS WELL DONE. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM YOUR PROGRAM, THIRTY-SEVEN OF YOUR FELLOW CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES WERE NOMINATED FOR THE THREE HONORS TO BE PRESENTED AT THIS TIME. IT WAS A PLEASURE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY A FEW MINUTES AGO OF MEETING ALL THIRTY-SEVEN OF THESE LUCKY PEOPLE IN PERSON. I THINK THE WORD LUCKY APPLIES IN THIS INSTANCjp. ’A MAN OR WOMAN IS MIGHTY LUCKY^TO BE CHOSEN BY HIS SUPERVISOR AND FELLOW- EMPLOYEES TO REPRESENT THEM IN THIS TYPE OF COMPETITION. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS WAS REAL COMPETITION. BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITIZENS COMMITTEE, I CONGRATULATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOBS YOU ARE c-a- DOING. T3 ALL A CREDIT TO YOUR AGENCbfe, YOUR GOVERNMENT,JfAND TO YOURSE LYES'. Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis THE SUSPENSE HAS LASTED LONG ENOUGH. WE DO NOT HAVE THE PRICE WATERHOUSE MAN^HERE WITH THE SEALED ENVELOPE BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE SECRECY OF THESE THREE NAMES HAS BEEN AS WELL GUARDED AS ANY OSCAR OR EMMY AWARD WINNER YOUR GENERAL CHAIRMAN, PHIL POLLOCK, SET RECORD FOR THIS PROGRAM BY PROTECTlN€TTfIE BEST-KEPT SECRET. RUMOR HAS IT THAT EVEN THE ENGRAVER HAD TO KEEP A BLINDFOLD ON WHILE HE WORKED ON THE PLAQUES. IN THE PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC FIELD OF ENDEAVOR WE HAD EIGHT CANDIDATES AND EACH ONE WAS AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS STORY OF A DEDICATED PROFESSIONAL SERVING HIS AND HER GOVERNMENT IN THE BEST MANNER AT ALL TIMES, PLUS THE LITTLE EXTRA THAT MAKES A MEMBER OF THE CIVIL SERVICE FAMILY ALSO A GOOD NEIGHBOR. WITH THIS PROFESSIONAL PERSON WE HONOR THE FIELD OF LAW. THIS YOUNG LADY*S PERFORMANCE OF HER OFFICIAL DUTIES DURING SEVENTEEN YEARS OF FEDERAL SERVICE HAS DEMONSTRATED HER EXCEPTIONAL COMPETENCE TO THE EXTENT THAT SHE HAS BEEN PROMOTED FROM THE GRADE GS-7 TO GS-14, THE HIGHEST GRADE FOR A CIVILIAN ATTORNEY IN HER AGENCY. IN THE FIELD OF GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT AND FISCAL MATTERS, HER EXPERTISE IS SO NOTEWORTHY THAT HER ADVICE IS CONSTANTLY REQUESTED BY OTHER ATTORNEYS. THE GOVERNMENT AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL WITH WHOM SHE DEALS HOLD THE HIGHEST Digitized for FRASER 2 http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis RESPECT FOR HER PROFESSIONAL ABILITY AND INTEGRITY AND GREAT REGARD FOR HER AS A PERSON. IN SPITE OF A PHYSICAL HANDICAP, SHE HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE ACTIVITIES OF MANY PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND HAS FREQUENTLY BEEN A VOLUNTEER FOR VARIOUS CHARITABLE FUND DRIVES. IN 1969 SHE WAS HONORED BY THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN AS THE WOMAN OF THE YEAR. THIS YOUNG LADY ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING SCHOOL OF LAW; JOINED THE GOVERNMENT IN 1952 AT THE ARMY FINANCE CENTER IN INDIANAPOLIS; MOVED TO THE FRANKFURT, GERMANY PROCURE­ MENT OFFICE FOR FIVE YEARS, AND THEN RETURNED TO THE STATES IN 1967 TO HER PRESENT AGENCY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE WINNER OF THE 1970 PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD----------THE CHIEF, SECONDARY ITEMS AND BREAKOUT PROCUREMENT DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE COMMAND STAFF JUDGE ADVOCATE, UNITED STATES ARMY AVIATION SYSTEMS COMMAND----------MISS JOYCE I. ALLEN. (Miss Allen comes forward, accepts the plaque, and responds) THANK YOU, MISS ALLEN. OUR SINCEREST CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR HOST OF FRIENDS. 3 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis THE NEXT CATEGORY IS THAT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND FOR THIS AWARD WE HAD TWELVE CANDIDATES AND AGAIN, TWELVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WOULD MAKE YOU PROUD JUST TO SHARE THE SAME OFFICE WITH THEM. AND ONCE AGAIN, WE FAVORED THE LADIES. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT OUR PREFERENCE FOR WOMEN IS GOING TO MAKE US ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PANELS OF JUDGES IN THE FIFTEEN YEAR HISTORY OF THIS EVENT. THIS YOUNG LADY HAS HAD TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AS A FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE, TWENTY-THREE OF THEM WORKING WITH RECORDS. HER SUPERVISOR’S ENDORSEMENT READS, "NOT ONLY HAS HER RECORD OF JOB KNOWLEDGE AND ACCURACY BEEN OUTSTANDING, BUT SHE HAS ALSO BEEN RATED OUTSTANDING IN QUANTITY OF WORK PRODUCED, COOPERATION AND DEPENDABILITY AS WELL. HER HIGH PRODUCTION IS ATTRIBUTED TO HER DEDICATED SENSE OF GIVING A FULL DAY’S WORK FOR A FULL DAY’S PAY. DURING THE PAST YEAR, SHE WAS 27% ABOVE THE UNIT AVERAGE IN HER OUTPUT, OR OVER ONE-FOURTH MORE WORK COMPLETED THAN THE GROUP AS A WHOLE" THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE FINEST RECOMMENDATIONS ANY BOSS COULD GIVE AN ASSOCIATE. OUTSIDE OF OFFICE HOURS, HER RECORD OF SERVICE TO HER CHURCH, HER SORORITY, AND VARIOUS CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS MAKES A MOST IMPRESSIVE ENDORSEMENT OF HER DEDICATION TO HER FELLOW MAN. FOR TWENTY-TWO YEARS SHE HAS BEEN SERVING AS A Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ 4 Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis VOLUNTEER RED CROSS FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR. THIS IS A LADY WHO WAS BORN IN MOUND BAYOU, MISSISSIPPI, ATTENDED VASHON HIGH SCHOOL HERE IN ST. LOUIS AND THEN CONTINUED HER EDUCATION AT THE WASHINGTON TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL AT NIGHT. SHE HAS RAISED FIVE CHILDREN AND THREE OF THEM ARE COLLEGE GRADUATES; A DAUGHTER IS TEACHING IN HIGH SCHOOL, A SON IS MEMBERSHIP RESIDENT DIRECTOR AT THE YMCA, AND ANOTHER DAUGHTER IS IN CHARGE OF THE TESTING PROGRAM FOR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT ST. LOUIS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAY I PRESENT A SUCCESSFUL MOTHER, A GOOD NEIGHBOR, A COMPETENT GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE---------- A TRULY HAPPY WOMAN------THE WINNER OF THE 1970 ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD - - A MILITARY PERSONNEL CLERK, GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS SERVICE, NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER, MRS. PEARLINE J. GOLLIDAY. (Mrs. Golliday comes forward, accepts the plaque, and responds.) THANK YOU, MRS. GOLLIDAY. WE HOPE THIS HONOR IS EVIDENCE OF YOUR COMMUNITY’S APPRECIATION FOR A JOB WELL DONE. 5 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis AND NOW, LAST BUT NOT BEAST, THE MANAGERIAL AND TECHNICAL AWARD. SEVENTEEN MEN AND WOMEN WERE NOMINATED FOR THIS CATEGORY AND THIS, TOO, PROVED TO BE A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR YOUR JUDGES. THE LADIES FAILED TO SWEEP THE AWARDS THIS EVENING AND A GENTLEMAN MANAGED TO RECEIVE THE NOD IN THIS DECISION. AND A MOST UNUSUAL GENTLEMAN HE IS. HE JOINED THE FEDERAL CIVILIAN SERVICE IN 1946 AND WHILE SERVING AS BUDGET OFFICER AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION REGIONAL OFFICE HE COMPLETED STUDIES FOR A MASTER’S DEGREE IN ECONOMICS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY. HE THEN EMBARKED ON THE STUDY OF LAW AT ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY AT NIGHT, EARNED HIS LAW DEGREE IN 1958 AND SUBSEQUENTLY PASSED THE STATE BAR. SINCE 1955 HE HAS PLAYED A KEY ROBE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTRODUCTION OF ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING AT HIS AGENCY. HE HAS EXHIBITED KEEN INSIGHT INTO THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF A WELL-INTEGRATED DATA PROCESSING PROGRAM AND HAS VIGOROUSLY PROMOTED THE CONCEPT OF CENTRALIZED DATA AUTOMATION MANAGEMENT TO INSURE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN THE USE OF COMPUTERS. HE IS A GUEST LECTURER ON AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS ON THE SUBJECT, "PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING COMPUTER-BASED INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEMS". HE IS ACTIVE IN HIS CHURCH, IS SECRETARY OF THE OLIVETTE HUMAN Digitized for FRASER 6 http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis RELATIONS COMMISSION, AND JUST RECENTLY RETIRED AS LIEUTENANT COLONEL IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVES. IN THE FEDERAL COMMUNITY HE HAS SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION; IS PRESENTLY CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD OF ST. LOUIS. A SIDE NOTE TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT WON THE TOP AWARD THIS EVENING-------THIS GENTLEMAN WAS ALSO NOMINATED FOR THIS AWARD IN 1958 AND AGAIN IN 1964, SO THE THIRD TIME HAS BEEN THE CHARM. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE 1970 MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, THE COMPTROLLER OF THE AERONAUTICAL CHART AND INFORMATION CENTER, MR. JOHN I. JOHNSON. (Mr. Johnson comes forward, accepts plaque and responds) CONGRATULATIONS, MR. JOHNSON. YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED AN ENVIABLE RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT. 7 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis THAT COMPLETES MY PART OF THE PROGRAM^SAY AGAIN HOW MUCH WE ALL HAVE ENJOYED PARTICIPATING AS YOUR CITIZENS COMMITTEE. IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT ASSIGNMENT TO CHOOSE ONLY THREE FOR THESE TOP AWARDS. TO THE THREE WINNERS OUR HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES. TO THE THIRTY- FOUR "ALSO RANS" WE REPEAT OUR CONGRATULATIONS. THIS EVENING YOU WERE MEMBERS OF THE MOST SELECT GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN SERVING OUR GOVERNMENT IN THIS AREA. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND I FOR ONE HOPE YOU ARE ALL BACK IN THE RUNNING FOR THE 1971 AWARDS. THANK YOU, PHIL POLLOCK, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY OF SERVING ON YOUR COMMITTEE. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE BEING PART OF THIS OUTSTANDING PROGRAM. THANK YOU. (Carl Weber returns to lectern) Digitized for FRASER 8 http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Darryl R. Francis (1970, March 12). Speech. Speeches, Federal Reserve. https://whenthefedspeaks.com/doc/speech_19700313_francis

@misc{wtfs_speech_19700313_francis,
  author = {Darryl R. Francis},
  title = {Speech},
  year = {1970},
  month = {Mar},
  howpublished = {Speeches, Federal Reserve},
  url = {https://whenthefedspeaks.com/doc/speech_19700313_francis},
  note = {Retrieved via When the Fed Speaks corpus}
}