The U.S. Office of Personnel Management director Linda M. Springer recently convened an expert review board to select and honor the very best federal civil servants. Twelve private citizens from the nation's capital who serve or have served in corporate America, academia, and local government will  review accomplishments of nominees -- career members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), and Senior-Level (SL) and Scientific and Professional (ST) communities -- for the 2006 Presidential Award of Distinguished Rank.

Nearly 14% of all SES appointments are held by minorities.

The Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive and Senior Professional is the honor bestowed upon career federal SES members and senior career employees for sustained accomplishment. Members of these communities manage many of the nation's most vital programs in defense, intelligence, the environment, energy, agriculture and others, and awardees receive a cash award of 35 percent of their base salary.

Over the next few months, four Presidential Rank Award meritorious review boards will meet across the country to consider nominees for the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive and Senior Professional, an award recognizing the sustained accomplishment of no more than 5 percent of career SES/SL/ST employees.

At the conclusion of the five panels, director Springer will send her recommendations to President George W. Bush, who will make the final selections and announce the award recipients later this year.

Members of the 2006 Presidential Rank Award Distinguished Review Board are:

Lynda Davis, president, Davis O'Connell
Joan DeCain, retired Capital Hill Member
Susan K. Hattan, senior consultant, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
Nils W. Johnson,  principal, MGN, Inc.
The Honorable Robert Kabel, Baker and Daniels, LLP
Patricia McGinnis, president and CEO, Council for Excellence in Government
William Thorne, vice president, DCI Group, LLC
William Outhier, managing director, The Carmen Group
Lisa R. Spies, self-employed
Michael B. Thielen, executive director, Republican National Lawyers Association
The Honorable Betsy Werronen, National Committeewoman, District of Columbia GOP
Steven Richards Valentine, partner, Preston, Gates, Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds, LLP