NAVAIR PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — In January 1974, Randy Morris interviewed for a job as an electrical engineer at the Satellite Communications Division at Webster Field.

Robert Waxman, dubbed “the Mayor of Webster Field,” interviewed Morris for the job.

He landed the job in the division and has worked along side Waxman ever since. Now, almost 30 years since he stepped into Waxman’s office looking for a job, Morris was named this year’s recipient of the Waxman award, a leadership honor named after his boss and mentor.

“This award is a great honor for me,” Morris said. “I truly respect the man [Waxman]. He’s been here for 56 years and this organization is what it is because of his leadership. This was something that was done in recognition of his leadership over the years supporting the fleet.”

The award is given based on a committee evaluation that assesses a candidate’s performance throughout the year. Categories such as relationships with employees, attentiveness at carrying out responsibilities, value to the organization, relationship to superiors, customer service and ability to carry out special requests are all taken into account and reviewed and judged by the committee.

Now the director of the Ship- and Shore-Based Electronics Division, Morris is responsible for representing the unit and its employees and acting as the primary contact for its high tech clients.

“We put a secure video teleconferencing center in the office of the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld,” said Waxman. “He liked it so much that he asked us to put it in for all of the combat commanders.”

The video teleconferencing set went over so well with Rumsfeld that they were asked to install the same type of unit at President George W. Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. Waxman said the president wanted the technology available to work at his ranch during his Christmas vacation.

Although Morris is the one receiving the award, he credits his success to the people he claims makes the SSBE so effective – his employees.

“These guys take on the responsibility of the project,” he said. “They have made the commitment to the customer and they do all the work. We see our job as supporting them and giving them what they need to accomplish the job.”

Waxman noted that Morris’s dedication to his product and motivation and interaction with the team is the cog that makes the whole operation run smoothly. And with both supervisors and employees hitting on all cylinders, the best is yet to come for the unit.

“This is just a fascinating place to work,” Waxman said. “We have a great bunch of people here working together. They enjoy what they do and they see the results of their work. It goes without saying that they have excellent management.”

How can Waxman be sure?

“He’s an intelligent worker,” he said of Morris. “He’s the way I used to be.”

—USN—

NAVAIR provides advanced warfare technologies through the efforts of a seamless, integrated, worldwide network of aviation technology experts. From aircraft and weapons development to carrier launch and recovery, from sensors to real-time communications to precision targeting, from aircraft and weapons sustainment to state-of-the-art training, NAVAIR provides dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities to the American warfighter.