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November 2, 2016Washington, DC, United StatesOperational, Cyber Crimes

ICE makes impressive showing at the 2016 Secretary's Awards

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Unity of Effort Award to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detention Reform Working Group Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Award for Valor to members of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Agents Tad A. Freesmeier, Manuel Dorado, and Nicholas Koahou. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Award for Exemplary Service to Susan M. Bokor. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Unit Award to members of the ICE Counterintelligence Team Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Award for Diversity Management to Steve K. Francis, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the Secretary's Award Ceremony held Oct. 26, 2016. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Customer Service Award to members of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center - Report IP Theft Form Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Unit Award to members of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Insider Threat Group Michael G. Tirrell, Joseph Arnold, and Richard Balfour, during the Secretary's Award Ceremony held Oct. 26, 2016. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas presented the Secretary's Award for Exemplary Service to Margie O. Egliskis

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson presented the 2016 DHS Secretary's Awards ceremony Oct. 26, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) well-represented across several categories.

The purpose of the event was to honor 745 DHS employees from across the country for their extraordinary work and professional excellence. Deputy Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas joined Secretary Johnson for the formal and elaborate ceremony.

The 10 categories of awards given were: Exceptional Service, Meritorious Service, Valor, Unity of Effort, Exemplary Service, Excellence, Diversity Management, Volunteer Service, Customer Service and Unit Award.

ICE employees took top honors in the categories below.

The Secretary's Meritorious Service Silver Medal

Software Slashers Investigation Team

  • Carlos Suarez
  • Scott D. Titus
  • Jonathan Polner
  • Rosalinda Estrada
  • Brian T. Psenak
  • Robert C. Patterson
  • Christopher Armstrong
  • Megan Pollock
  • Ryder K. Wells
  • Shawn S. Gibson
  • Kristin M. Norton
  • Melissa A. Shanahan
  • Susan Welsh
  • Patrick Daly
  • James C. Bohling

ICE Criminal Alien Program

  • Thomas Feeley
  • Norman L. Parrish
  • Arthur J. Wilson, Jr.
  • James R. Grippo
  • Peter Fomich
  • Timothy F. Purdy
  • Clint Haggard
  • Robert D. Ellis
  • Samuel L. Saxon

Secure Mail Team

  • Eric J. Hittner
  • Sandra J. Zwiener

The Secretary's Valor Award

Homeland Security Investigations, San Bernardino, California:

  • Tad A. Freesmeier
  • Manuel Dorado
  • Nicholas Koahou

The Secretary's Award for Unity of Effort

  • DHS Cyber Hiring Event Team, Washington, DC
  • ICE Detention Reform Working Group, Washington, DC
  • Secretary's Briefing Staff, Washington, DC

The Secretary's Award for Exemplary Service

  • Susan M. Bokor, El Paso, Texas
  • Margie O. Egliskis, Phoenix, Arizona

The Secretary's Award for Excellence

ICE Insider Threat Group

  • Michael G. Tirrell
  • Joseph Arnold
  • Richard Balfour

ICE Counterintelligence Team

  • Christopher R. Pascua
  • Jason A. Axley
  • Jessica L. Nelson
  • Carlos L. Romero
  • Errol B. Van Ommeren
  • Sean R. Sullivan

The Secretary's Award for Diversity Management

  • Steve K. Francis, Detroit, Michigan

Secretary's Unit Award

  • National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center - Report IP Theft Form, Washington, DC
Visit the Secretary's Awards 2016 page for archival video coverage and a complete list of all the winners.
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