Lt. Cmdr. Kelvin Neal Edmonds II, James Sullivan, and Jose Pahilanga, Jr. were recognized recently as Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Far East military, civilian, and host-nation engineers of the year, respectively.
"We are so proud to recognize the tremendous work of these engineers," said Capt. Lance Flood, NAVFAC Far East Commanding Officer. "This honor represents the ability to overcome incredible challenges, to produce outsized impacts, and to exemplify our professional NAVFAC team, unified by a common, honorable purpose."
Lt. Cmdr. Kelvin Neal Edmonds II
Lt. Cmdr. Edmonds is the Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division (FEAD) Director at Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Japan. He served as a Construction Manager with the OICC China Lake for $655M in design-build construction projects, efforts that were a major contribution to the $2.7B Earthquake Recovery Program at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
The St. Louis, Mo. native has been on the NAVFAC team for more than half of his nearly 10 years as a Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) officer. In pursuit of this honor, he led a diverse team to successfully manage multiple complex military construction projects valued at $400M, and his thorough research of an automated metric tracking system shaped the enterprise delivery approach to large-scale multi-billion dollar programs. It’s the teamwork that stands out to him as the biggest benefit. “The most rewarding aspect of my work is the meaningful relationships that I've forged with teammates and personnel throughout the organization as we work together to execute tasking, overcome challenges, and resolve issues,” says Edmonds. “I am extremely proud to be a part of the NAVFAC family.”
James Sullivan
Mr. Sullivan is the Utilities Infrastructure Manager, Utilities (PW6), Energy (PW8) and Industrial Control Systems / Smart Grid Program Manager. He has been a part of the NAVFAC team for almost eight years both in his home state of Hawaii and the Far East. “The most rewarding part of my job is that I get to work with so many smart and engaged people who are focused and eager to partner with on projects,” says Sullivan.
He showed that team spirit by successfully leading a diverse group of designers, specialists, and construction managers, navigating multiple challenges, to establish the Navy's Smart Grid system in the Far East, spanning six field offices and three countries.
The California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo graduate’s exceptional work ensured success for multiple projects totaling $46.8M across Navy installations in Japan, while building the architecture to support future systems and planned growth. “It's great to work on strategy and plans for long-range programs, and even better when it can be shared with others who have the same vision and enthusiasm,” he says. This effort positively impacted more than 80 percent of the Navy's energy consumption across Japan, Korea, and Diego Garcia while fortifying the Navy's energy security for years to come.
Jose Pahilanga, Jr.
Mr. Pahilanga served as the Lead Architectural Engineer, directly overseeing the completion of 26 design projects totaling $41M during the past three years with the Diego Garcia Public Works Department. The University of St. La Salle and La Consolacion College graduate and native of Bacolod City, Philippines has been on the NAVFAC team for nearly 10 years.
He led the In-House Design and Construction Management team to facilitate the completion of 55 projects valued at over $80M, and provided direct oversight on construction projects totaling more than $182M, a job he says is a privilege. “I am proud to work with a dynamic group of engineers who are instrumental in project success. Being involved from the conceptualization, design, award, and execution of projects is the fulfilment of being an Architect/Engineer.” Mr. Pahilanga's engineering acumen also contributed to the successful $30M Deep Draft Wharf repair project, instrumental to preserving Port Operations at Diego Garcia. Says Pahilanga, “I am grateful for the trust and confidence of the command in my leadership, and for providing the instruments and resources to perform my duties.”