33 Finalists Announced for Top Fed Award

Thirty-three federal employees have been selected as finalists for the 2014 Service to America Medals for contributions in a range of fields including veterans’ care, climate change research and fraud prevention.

The finalists were selected from among nearly 400 nominations. “Their stories showcase the good that our public servants do each and every day behind-the-scenes on behalf of the American public,” said Max Stier, president of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, the group that sponsors the annual Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals. The awards go to career federal employees who have contributed to the health, safety and well-being of Americans through government. Winners receive cash awards ranging from $3,000 to $10,000.

The Partnership will honor finalists at a breakfast Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Winners will be feted a black-tie dinner in Washington on Sept. 22.

The 2014 finalists’ accomplishments include:

• Creating a data analysis system to evaluate federal housing programs and track billions of dollars in Hurricane Sandy disaster recovery funds
• Prompting reforms to the Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of drugs and medical devices
• Protecting soldiers’ lives by creating a sensor system to help Army units detect and destroy improvised explosive devices
• Devising security plans for protecting domestic and international ports from terrorism
• Leading Medicare fraud investigations that resulted in hundreds of convictions and the recovery of millions of dollars
• Exposing abuse in the Alabama prison system
• Collaborating with industry and other federal agencies to create ambulance crash safety standards to reduce injuries and fatalities among emergency service workers and patients

Click here for the full list of 2014 finalists.

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