Guest speaker praises Arnold AFB, award nominees and winners

  • Published
  • By Janaé Daniels
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  Dan Clark, CEO of a multi-million dollar High Performance Consulting Firm and internationally recognized speaker, was the guest speaker at the 2009 annual awards banquet ceremony held recently at the Arnold Lakeside Center.

"I have spoken all over the world and to every single command and I've never heard of Arnold Air Force Base," Clark opened with his speech. "I've been a fan of General Arnold and all the things that he represents to innovation and to freedom. I couldn't help but think about General Arnold's vision as I toured the base."

Clark admitted he has never seen so much passion and excitement in people who work with inanimate objects and makes them come alive like what he saw represented at Arnold when he toured the facilities. He realized the draw to Arnold wasn't necessarily the facilities in which people work, but it's in fact the people themselves that draw others here.

"The draw is the people," he said. "I have never been in an audience that is a coagulation of such intellect in my entire life - not just intellect with what you know, but intellect with what you do with what you know, which is the secret to success."

Clark classifies himself as an inspirational speaker because he wants the message to outlast the meeting. "Whenever I get a chance to say yes to a speaking engagement, I volunteer my time and I do my best to do nothing more than to celebrate what you're all about and just remind you about how cool you are.

"We are here to celebrate what comes natural to you nominees," he said. "As a due course in what you do every single day we are here to say 'congratulations' and we are here to celebrate excellence."

Clark noticed that people who work at Arnold have a higher bar of expectations. "Not because it's expected by the United State Air Force, but because it's demanded of yourself," he said. "That's the experience I now will share whenever I go to another base and talk to them about Arnold Engineering Development Center."

As an outsider, as Clark refers to himself, he sees Arnold as an individual and collective group of intellectuals who are willing to do things that other people are not willing to do. "That's what's going to bring economic development to Tullahoma," he said. "That's what's going to bring economic development to Coffee County - it's the people."

Charlie Smith is a technical award winner and was humbled by his award.

"It is difficult for me to receive an individual award for what is so much a team effort," Smith said. "The award means a lot more to me representing my opportunity to serve with a great team of professionals for so many years. When I think of what I have accomplished I will always remember the help and fellowship shared with both fellow colleagues here at AEDC and customers across the nation."

Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) team member of the year in administration, Ray McCoy, felt it was a great honor to win.

"Just when you think you are just going along doing your job, someone gives a compliment like this," McCoy said. "I've been blessed to work with exceptional people in both work force qualification and employee development. I send out thanks to all of them."

Amy Foster was awarded the Air Force civilian of the year in the administrative category. "If I could sum it up in a word it would be - humbling," Foster said.

"This award is more of a team award than an individual award. PK is such a close knit family with members that complement each other's strengths and off-set each other's weaknesses. This award shows how well 25 PKers work together to fulfill our mission."

For Nikki Morris winning a non-exempt salaried ATA team member of the year award is not only complimentary to her but to her whole team of coworkers.

"It is an honor to receive this award," she said. "I work with a great group of people who are not only intelligent and extremely skilled at what they do, but are also just like a family to me. I could not have achieved this award without them and this is a reflection of all of our hard work and dedication to this great country we live in."