Fort Hamilton, N.Y. - Two leaders from Fort Hamilton graduated from Installation Management Command’s Emerging Enterprise Leader program, Jan. 20.
Trevor Loew, Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation director, and Rose Perez, Equal Employment Opportunity specialist, were among a small group of graduates who began their two-year long EEL journey in Jan. 2019.
The program is an effort to expand the Army’s enterprise leadership development efforts to emerging and aspiring leaders at the GS-11/12 levels. Competitively selected participants, such as Loew and Perez, developed targeted competencies all while continuing to perform in their current positions.
“This two-year civilian leader development program is designed to develop participants in the targeted competencies of interpersonal skills, communication, innovation, strategic thinking, conflict management, team building and problem solving,” said Kayla Jackson, IMCOM EEL program manager. “The program focuses on building and strengthening technical and leadership competencies, broadening skills, and creating confident and competent Army civilians.”
Col. Craig Martin, Fort Hamilton Garrison Commander emphasized the importance of managing the talents and skills of the Army’s people.
“The Army’s readiness relies upon people,” said Martin. “Army civilians form the institutional backbone of the Army, so it’s important that we invest in developing our people and enhancing their talents for the benefit of the Army and the individual.”
The program consisted of structured self-development, mentoring, a developmental assignment, and a team project; it provided participants a path for professional success and made them competitive for future roles.
“The value you take away equals what you put in,” said Perez. “I had the opportunity to collaborate with other IMCOM professionals on a project to improve the EEL program while bettering myself, learning from others, and contributing to the organization.”
Perez continued, “I also formed a wonderful relationship with my mentor, Ms. Yvonne Murray, the IMCOM EEO program manager. She is insightful, experienced, and a true professional.”
The mentors, nominated and selected to participate in the program, established a professional relationship with their assigned EEL mentee to share professional advice, career guidance, and support growth. Robert Perkins, Fort Hamilton’s Human Resources director, was selected as a mentor for this past cohort and the next cohort; he mentored an individual stationed in Alaska.
“Sharing my leadership and guidance, and expanding on the supervisor competencies with the mentee was extremely rewarding,” said Perkins. “Watching the growth and self-discovery happen with the mentee transpire throughout the process made the process worth it. I recommend anyone aspiring to be in a leadership position to become a participant in the program and those that are already leaders to become mentors and share their valued leadership skills and experiences. You have the ability to bring about positive and real strategic change outside your organization.”
Loew said he applied for the program looking for opportunities to increase his professional leadership competencies.
“The program gives you a great opportunity to learn, grow, and meet and get to know some wonderful and dedicated Army professionals,” he said. “I gained insight into unfamiliar areas of IMCOM, which expanded my knowledge of the overall Army structure and how our organization fits within it. I am proud to be a part of such a great team, with the capacity to accomplish any task, big or small. There is no greater organization in the entire world to be a part of than the U.S. DoD, and I am honored and proud to be a member of the team.”
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