Presidential Management Improvement Award Announcement of the 1979 Award Recipients.

The President today announced the winners of the 1979 Presidential Management Improvement Awards. The awards recognize Federal personnel who have made the year's most exceptional contributions to management improvement. James T. Mcintyre, Jr., Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Alan K. Campbell, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, will present the awards in a ceremony in Room 450, Old Executive Office Building, at 2 p.m. today.

Efforts of the 13 winners of nine awards—seven individuals and two groups-contributed more than $27 million in measurable benefits to taxpayers. They also contributed benefits such as strengthening national defense, improving communications and operations, and providing better service to students and veterans.

Established in 1970, the Presidential Management Improvement Awards program was expanded in 1977 to permit Presidential recognition in the form of congratulatory letters to Federal employees whose suggestions, inventions, or other special achievements resulted in tangible benefits to the Government of $5,000 or more. To date, the President has sent approximately 6,000 such letters. Total measurable benefits of the contributions recognized by the President exceed $697 million.

Recipients of the 1979 awards are:

Charlotte N. Anderson, a plastics worker at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., who developed new procedures for repairing metal braces on TF-30 aircraft engine fiberglass duct fairings that resulted in measurable benefits to the Government of more than $1 million.

Nicholas Bournias, auditor with the Office of the Inspector General, Audit Agency, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (now Health and Human Services), Washington, D.C., who contributed to reduction of fraud, abuse, and errors in the Medicaid program by developing a method for auditing billions of dollars spent under the program. His efforts are expected to result in annual benefits of more than $6 million to the Government.

Clayton T. Boyle, communications management specialist, Naval Communications Area Master Station, Eastern Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, who devised an alternate, less expensive means of handling intercontinental telephone calls. His concept made it possible to close the switchboard facility at Kunia, Hawaii, and resulted in first-year benefits to the Government of more than $1 million.

Thomas J. Creswell, Director, Aeronautical Center, Federal Aviation Administration, Oklahoma City, Okla., who improved operations at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center. Staff reductions with no loss in production, cost savings and increased energy conservation through controlled use of Government vehicles, reduced printing, reproduction, and telephone costs, and efficiencies in the purchase order distribution system resulted in first-year savings of more than $250,000.

Jakie Muscar, Jr., contract specialist, Division of Contract and Grant Operations, HEW (now HHS), Washington, D.C., who conducted recompetition for a contract to carry out data processing and systems support requirements for the guaranteed student loan program. The contract he negotiated will result in benefits to the Government of $15 million over the next 5 years.

Gayton Silvestro, production assurance engineer, U.S. Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command, Dover, N.J., who made significant improvements in the technology of propellant usage that have potential future application to all artillery and tank-fired munitions programs. He developed specific procedures for an extensive renovation program for 150-mm tank ammunition that resulted in measurable benefits to the Government of more than $2.3 million by rendering usable 1.8 million pounds of stockpiled propellants.

Danny A. Wright, Pershing missile repairman, who, as a member of the 579 Ordnance Company, U.S. Army, New Ulm, West Germany, solved a longstanding problem by designing a special tool to be used during a critical alignment phase of missile jet vane assemblies. The tool he designed reduces damage and time spent in maintenance of missile systems throughout the world.

Yeongchi Wu, physician, and Harold J. Krick, corrective therapist, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Veterans Administration, Chicago, Ill., who developed an improved method for treating below-the-knee amputations. Before development of their method, post-surgery complications resulted in painful recovery and extended hospital stays. With their method, treatment and recovery have been greatly improved.

Robert S. Flum, Sr., systems analyst, and Lionel L. Woolston, Roland G. Daudelin, and Bob Norris, supervisory engineers, Headquarters, Naval Materiel Command, Antisubmarine Warfare Systems Project, Washington, D.C., who pioneered development of the submarine rocket. Their technical advancements transformed a weapons system concept into an operational nuclear missile and fire control system of vital importance to national security.