On February 23, 2023, a retirement ceremony was held for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Program Director, Mr. Stephen Durrett, at the Federal Building in downtown Cincinnati, OH.
“I’d never envisioned I’d be with the corps for almost 40 years when I started back in 1983,” said Mr. Stephen G. Durrett, Regional Programs Director for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, “But it was the job, it was the people, and it was everything that we do at the corps of engineers that I found very rewarding.”
Mr. Stephen G. Durrett was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in January 2015. He is retiring from the position of Regional Program Director, in which he provides leadership and supervision for the Programs Directorate’s execution, planning, and project management activities.
Prior to his transition to senior service, Mr. Durrett served as Deputy District Engineer and the Chief of Programming and Project Management Division at the U.S. Army corps of Engineers Louisville District. In Louisville, he also served in several different positions that included Chief of Engineering Division, Chief of the Engineering Branch, Chief of Planning Branch, Chief of Design Branch, Chief of the Geotechnical & Dam Safety Section and Chief of the Environmental Engineering Branch.
Throughout Mr. Durrett’s career, he received several exciting opportunities and unique assignments. At the headquarters level of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he served as the Levee Safety Program Manager, and also served on the Forward Support Team while deployed to Hillah, Iraq.
Mr. Durrett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Science Degree in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He is certified as a Level III Facilities Engineer and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Kentucky. He is also a member of the American Society of Military Engineers.
Joined by his wife, Sally, and his children, Deanna and her husband Jared Wells, Kyle, Cory and his wife Kaitlin, and two grandchildren, Jude and Grant, Mr. Durrett’s family and numerous friends and teammates shared their support as he received congratulatory remarks and awards from LRD Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Kimberly Peeples. The ceremony was also held virtually, where those unable to attend in person could share their support via Facebook Live.
“Steve, your presence will be deeply missed. you were a constant source of encouragement and guidance that helped me and many others thrive in our competitive environment,” said Brig. Gen. Peeples. “I truly appreciate everything you did for me and others over the years. i hope you and sally have a joyous retirement!”
LRD Regional Business Director, and Mr. Durrett’s “battle-buddy”, Mr. Joe Savage, also shared his remarks.
“Mr. Durrett is known for being assertive, engaged, and comfortable making decisions,” said Mr. Savage. “What you might not know is that he is also a very sensitive and empathetic person when dealing with people. He really tries to help them overcome personal issues that might be holding them back. I have also been most impressed at his professional humility. We can have a discussion and even disagree without ever being disagreeable. Even though he has been, and continues to be, my mentor, he always treated me as his equal. He treats everyone like that. I’ve had a lot of colleagues in my career, and he is one of the best “battle buddies” I’ve ever had.”
LRD Chief of Engineering, Ernie Drott, also shared his thoughts on the departure of his teammate.
“Steve was very wise in taking actions that preserve the integrity of the organization,” said Drott. “Steve is a very sincere and genuine in doing the right thing and in his approach to compassion. Despite his “no” vocabulary and his 99+% execution personality, he has a huge heart.”
Mr. Durrett received numerous awards for his service, including the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal, and the award for Outstanding Service in the Army Senior Executive Service. His wife, Sally, also received the Certificate of Public Service Award, for her support throughout Durrett’s career.
To see photos from the event, visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/lrdusace/albums/72177720306376076
To see the full ceremony live stream, visit https://fb.watch/j9YAu6gDr8/ .
Original source can be found here
