Dr. Ronald R. Lemke Engineer of the Year (TSI)

Bradley K. (Brad) Taylor, Program Manager for the Missile Defense Agency Targets and Countermeasures (MDA TC) Directorate, Systems Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) support at TSI, is the recipient of the Dr. Ronald R. Lemke Engineer of the Year award at TSI.

Taylor assumed leadership of the MDA TC task in January 2009, providing direct support to the program director and other groups within the Directorate.  He supervises more than 40 TSI personnel and provides oversight and funding coordination for 50 subcontractor personnel on 20 different subcontracts for the SETAB contract.  His responsibilities include support of all functions for ballistic missile targets and his duties span a wide variety of technical areas in addition to his program management activities.  Earlier in the year, he was also the lead SETA for MDA Tactical Targets in the development of target missiles launched from the Mobile Launch Platform.

In addition to having received numerous written and verbal commendations from the customer, Taylor has been the recipient of the Ronald T. Kadish Acquisition Excellence Trophy and the MDA Annual Team Award for Test and Assessment.

According to his nominator, “Brad is an energetic, multi-talented individual who is an invaluable asset to Teledyne.  He holds himself to high standards, and everyone wants to work with him because of his strong technical knowledge.  He has earned the total confidence of the MDA TC leadership, and his efforts reflect a personal and professional dedication to the success of the MDA Targets program.”

Taylor, who joined Teledyne in 1986, holds an M.S. in systems management from the Florida Institute of Technology and a B.S. in electrical engineering from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. 

TSI Technical Employee of the Year

Janet S. Fisher, Assistant Program Manager for BMDS Lethality Programs at TSI, was selected TSI Technical Employee of the Year.

Fisher coordinates the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Lethality Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E) Program for the USASMDC Executing Agent.  Lethality LFT&E is congressionally mandated under Title 10 US Code and requires completion of testing prior to proceeding beyond low-rate initial production. Under her leadership, the testing phase of this multi-contractor/government agency program was successfully completed in 2009, ensuring that final documentation products will be in place for the scheduled September 2010 THAAD Materiel Release Review Board.  Fisher is responsible for the Program’s budgets and schedules, and she provides multidisciplinary expertise in the areas of test concepts of operation, test planning, engineering, hardware fabrication, pre-test lethality predictions, test execution, post-test damage analysis, program management, and program documentation. 

In addition to THAAD, Fisher is TSI’s lethality interface with the MDA’s Corporate Lethality Program and their Ground-based Midcourse Defense Program.  In accomplishing these duties, she leads a multidisciplined staff of four scientists and engineers.

According to her nomination, “Janet maintains a smooth operation with her ability to communicate with the contractor performers and government agencies involved with the program.”

Fisher, a 23-year Teledyne employee, holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  She is a Registered Professional Engineer in Alabama.

Bart King and Hal League were also nominees for TSI Technical Employee of the Year.

James Michael Scherer, Sr.
Administrative Employee of the Year

Jennifer A. Geist, TBE Wellness Manager, was selected the James Michael Scherer, Sr. Administrative Employee of the Year for TBE.

Geist has successfully administered the Company’s Wellness Program for almost 4 years, continually adding new activities and wellness sessions to promote participation.  She has increased employee participation by working with the cafeteria to offer healthier selections, initiating the Blue Bat 5K Walk/Run, establishing a Fitness Center at the Knoxville Facilities, offering counseling, and hosting speakers and new sessions on how to live a healthy lifestyle.  In the last year, participation in the Go-for-the-Gold program has increased from 58% to 66%, and the number of employees completing Health Risk Appraisals and participating in health screenings has gone up significantly – all contributors to the company having below national average health care costs. 

Due to Geist’ efforts, TBE’s Wellness Program is the leading wellness program among employers in the Huntsville area, and it has been recognized with such awards as the National Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award, the American Cancer Society’s Company of Excellence Award, and the American Heart Association Wellness Award.  She also coordinates other employee activities such as the Pancake Breakfasts and annual Easter Egg Hunt and Service Award luncheon. 

According to her nominator, “Jennifer has outstanding organizational skills and her initiative is evidenced by her leadership and dynamism in providing a new and innovative Wellness Program each year that has grown substantially since its inception.”

Geist earned an M.S. in behavior analysis and therapy from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  She is a member of the National Wellness Institute and Wellness Council of America.

Finalists were Jessica Sanders (CBRN) and Dawn White (Contracts).