Corps employees win national real estate honors

NEW ORLEANS – Several New Orleans-based employees with the Corps’ regional real estate division took home national honors recently for their work associated with providing the necessary real estate for the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS).

Members of the Hurricane Storm Damage and Risk Reduction New Orleans Management Team won the National Real Estate Achievement Award at the National Real Estate Conference held in Seattle, Wash., on March 12-15, 2012. Team members include Linda Labure, Janet Cruppi, Todd Klock, Deanna Walker and Judi Gutierrez.

This award is given to the Corps team or individual that demonstrates outstanding project achievement, with a nod toward the team or individual that facilitates communication across functional, geographical or other boundaries and leverages diverse knowledge and skills.  Furthermore, award recipients must have made unique and outstanding contributions to furthering or maintaining the Corps' competitive advantage and professional reputation through studies, analyses or mission support for clients.  The winner is evaluated and selected by a real estate team at Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C., with final approval by Mr. Scott Whiteford, Director of Real Estate for the Corps.

The Hurricane Storm Damage and Risk Reduction New Orleans Management Team won the award for the successful delivery of more than 3,000 rights of entry, licenses and permits totaling acquisition of more than $48 million for the HSDRRS. The team used creative contracting methods, worked closely with the State of Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (the local sponsor) and utilized regional assets to ensure mission execution. The work by the team was essential in completing construction of the $14.6 billion HSDRRS, the largest civil works project in Corps history, in only five years.