The Secretary’s Exceptional Service Award is the highest award for service granted by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The award honors exceptional leadership or service that is distinguished by achievements of unique national or international significance, reflecting great credit on the Department by markedly improving the security of our homeland.
This year's winners are listed below, along with a description of their contributions and achievements:
For work on the Liberty Reserve Investigation, which exposed a website used to facilitate cybercriminal activity, including investment and foreign exchange schemes, child exploitation, drug trafficking and terrorism, and resulted in the dismantling of the website and the freezing of $40 million in assets, affecting cybercriminal activity worldwide:
Tate Jarrow, U.S. Secret Service
In recognition of exceptional and collaborative achievement in the successful development and licensing of the world's first molecular foot-and-mouth disease vaccine for cattle, the most significant scientific accomplishment in foot-and-mouth disease vaccine development in the past 50 years. It is also the first foot-and-mouth disease vaccine that the U.S. can manufacture on the mainland:
Jeffrey L. Babcock, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Science and Technology Directorate
Lawrence R. Barrett, DVM., Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Science and Technology Directorate
Michelle M. Colby, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Science and Technology Directorate
Teresa B. de los Santos, Ph.D., Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team
John G. Neilan, Ph.D., Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Science and Technology Directorate
Lavanya S. Ratnam, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Office of the General Counsel
Luis L. Rodriguez, DVM, Ph.D., Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team
Michael K. Santillo, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Science and Technology Directorate
Christopher J. Schutta, Ph.D., Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Science and Technology Directorate
Robert M. Webb, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team, Office of General Counsel
Laszlo Zsak, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Team
For working with the government of Panama to detect and interdict illegal weapons shipping from Cuba to North Korea, which posed a threat to national and international security:
Brodie T. Allyn, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Cristina A. Bryce, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Lt. Cmdr. Luis O. Carmona, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Coast Guard
Ruben Correa, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Gerald Corrigan, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Edward V. Dolan, Jr., Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Timothy Fahy, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Jose Gonzalez-Cardona, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Corey L. Grubbs, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Lt. Joseph H. Hart, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Coast Guard
Eric Hyer, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Matthew H. King, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Capt. Brian M. Lisko, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Coast Guard
Scott Maisonet, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Ronald O. Marcell, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Lt. Cmdr. William L. Mees, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Coast Guard
E. Erik Moncayo, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Maribel Montoya, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Jose R. Ortiz, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Abdias Ortiz, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Gary Pettifor, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Raymond B. "Nando" Quiñones, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Mark C. Riley, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Coast Guard
Orlando Romero, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Alfred Sandoval, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Erick O. Tarango, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Michael R. Vargas, Panama Chong Chon Gang Vessel Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection