Two U.S. Department of Transportation career employees received the 2022 Presidential Rank Award.
Aviation Consumer Protection Assistant General Counsel Blane A. Workie and Federal Aviation Administration Operations Vice President Jeffrey S. Planty received the award, according to a Nov. 22 news release. The two were chosen by President Joe Biden to receive the award, which is "one of the most prestigious awards in federal career civil service."
"Every day, tens of thousands of dedicated public servants like Blane Workie and Jeffrey Planty work behind the scenes to ensure that our nation’s transportation system runs smoothly and safely," DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the release. "Ms. Workie and Mr. Planty have distinguished themselves through their exemplary work ethic and deep commitment to the power of public service. I am proud to join President Biden in recognizing these two outstanding civil servants."
Presidential Rank Award recipients are chosen by the president for hard working federal civil servants who have made important contributions, the release reported.
Workie, among other things, "demonstrated initiative, innovation and commitment" in DOT's response to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on air travel consumers and the industry, the news release said. She drafted and issued enforcement notices that reminded passengers and airlines about prompt refunds for canceled or significantly changed flights and led investigations and enforcement actions into refunds that resulted from extreme delays.
"Ms. Workie’s work on behalf of the flying public has resulted in consumers getting back hundreds of millions of dollars in refunds," the news release said. "Her work with airlines has also spurred improved customer service policies at major airlines for flight delays and cancellations caused by airlines — work that continues to yield results for the American people."
Planty oversees 10,000 employees nationwide to ensure "safe, efficient and secure delivery of air navigational services to the entire aviation community," the news release said. His "multitude of responsibilities," include watching out for increased cyber threats worldwide, for which he has developed strong interagency relationships that ensure the Federal Aviation Administration and the flying are shielded from those cyber threats.
"Mr. Planty also leads the FAA's Spectrum Engineering team that manages and protects civil aviation radio frequencies," the news release said. "This team spearheads the flight safety global aviation initiatives by working with other agencies to craft policies, standards and certifications of current and new aviation technology. He also leads and operates the agency's engineering and construction team responsible for the safe and effective lifecycle management of the air traffic facilities infrastructure."
“Last year, we were thrilled that the Office of Personnel Management brought back the Presidential Rank Awards,” White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain said in the release. “The President believes strongly in highlighting the accomplishments of federal civil servants and supporting our federal workforce. We look forward to recognizing a new group of distinguished individuals in the career service who consistently produce high quality work and demonstrate an unyielding commitment to public service.”
