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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Mar 16, 2010 - 6:07:37 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Steve Farkus looks into Iran from the Iraq/Iran point of entry guard tower, Wassit Province. Farkus will receive the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager of the Year Award at the Summer Leaders Conference Awards Banquet and Ceremony in Orlando, Fla., Aug 3. (GRD photo) |
Tallil, Iraq - He traveled more than 65,000 miles, endured potential personal risk and returned with the same infectious smile and attitude he deployed to Iraq with a year ago.
"Steve Farkus is an X-PM - extreme project manager," said Lt. Col. David Berczek, Gulf Region South district deputy commander. "He's personally driven and results-oriented. That's why we nominated him for project manager of the year."
Cited by both Louisville District's Commander Col. Keith Landry and former Gulf Region South District's Commander Col. Jack Drolet for his "commitment to excellence and contagious enthusiasm," Farkus will receive the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager of the Year Award at the Summer Leaders Conference Awards Banquet and Ceremony in Orlando, Fla., on Aug. 3.
Farkus, a project manager for the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, deployed to GRS for a one-year assignment as the project manager responsible for projects funded through Military Construction Army funding. While deployed at Gulf Region South district, he was stationed at Contingency Operating Base Adder in Tallil, Iraq.
Farkus managed more than $178 million in new construction at six separate Coalition Forces Contingency Operating Bases. The projects included massive airfield parking, an air traffic control tower, waste-water treatment plants, and a 60,000-square-foot dining facility.
"On this year-long deployment I learned what it was like to apply the Corps business practices to our construction projects in a high threat and extreme environment," said Farkus. "Deploying to Iraq and helping GRS was really one of the biggest challenges of my life."
While deployed to GRS, Farkus led project development teams to optimum performance levels, achieving more than $100 million in construction placement in the first eight months of fiscal year 2009, while enduring the extreme challenges presented by construction in Iraq.
"The tempo of our work and the scale of what we had to do felt overwhelming at times, but the great part of the job was there was always a teammate to cover your back," said Farkus.
In making the nomination Berczek said that Farkus was selected based on his ability to achieve results.
"Steve continuously engages our customers and has the keen ability to build the professional relationships necessary to be successful in this environment," said Berczek.
Farkus is a strong believer in leadership and mentoring. He trained military and U.S. and Iraqi civilians on USACE project management business processes.
"I felt like the reputation of the United States was on the line in the work we were to accomplish in this country are all representatives of our government," said Farkus. "Our Iraqi coworkers needed to see our strong work ethic and good examples of leadership."
Farkus said there are so many project delivery team members that added to his success and very difficult to single out one or two. However, the efforts from both Greg Werncke and Greg Croon who were also deployed with Farkus to GRS are amazing.
"Those guys were in the trenches working out all the details with some very big and very complex projects," said Farkus. "They solved problems I never even found out about."
Berczek said whether deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, Farkus serves with an expeditionary mindset and aggressively seeks opportunities to reach above and beyond what is expected.
"Steve loves what he does and it is reflected in the work he produces and the way he motivates others to strive for excellence," said Berczek. "He is not satisfied with the status quo."
Stood up in January 2004, the Gulf Region South district manages reconstruction projects in nine provinces in southern Iraq, an area covering more than 65,000 square miles.
As Iraq strives to build a secure, stable and self-governing nation, the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, has completed thousands of projects in support of Iraq reconstruction. Since 2004, GRD has completed 4,619 projects throughout Iraq valued at more than $7.2 billion, and has 285 projects ongoing.
Note: Alicia Embrey is the public affairs officer for the Gulf Region South district, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Iraq.
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
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| Steve Farkus gave a tour of the $58.5 million Combat Aviation Brigade Beddown project to engineers from Iraq's nine southern provinces during a GRS-hosted PRT Engineer Conference March 3-5. The project is placing concrete round-the-clock for 75 acres of contingency airfield parking for rotary and medium-load fixed wing aircraft. (GRD Photo) |
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