2024 class of the Army Acquisition Hall of Fame announced

By U.S. Army Public AffairsSeptember 24, 2024

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ARLINGTON, Va. (Month DD, 2024) – Douglas R. Bush, the U.S. Army Acquisition Executive, announced today the 2024 inductees into the Army Acquisition Hall of Fame.

The 2024 class of the Army Acquisition Hall of Fame includes Ms. Maureen Cross, Ms. Cathy Dickens, Mr. Gary Winkler, and retired Lt. Gen. Joseph Yakovac. These acquisition leaders will be inducted at a ceremony during the Association of the United States Army’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 15.

"The 2024 Army Acquisition Hall of Fame inductees epitomize exceptional leadership, marked by unwavering dedication, innovative vision and relentless commitment to service,” said Bush. “Their induction celebrates their alignment with the core values of the Army, their devoted pursuit of our mission and the profound impact they have made, leaving a legacy that will endure for years to come."

The Army Acquisition Hall of Fame is open to former Army Acquisition Workforce professionals who served a minimum of 20 years in federal service and have been retired or separated from service at least one year. Nominees were evaluated on their significant and enduring contributions to the Army acquisition community’s historic and ongoing missions.

The Army Acquisition Workforce is currently made up of more than 33,000 Army civilians, officers and noncommissioned officers who develop, acquire and sustain operational capability. Army acquisition covers six functional areas: engineering and technical management, contracting, life cycle logistics, program management, test and evaluation, and business financial management and cost estimating.

"The legacy of the 2024 Army Acquisition Hall of Fame inductees extends far beyond their achievements, fostering the spirit that fuels our workforce – a spirit defined by perseverance, teamwork and an unyielding pursuit of excellence,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Collins, director of the Army Acquisition Corps. “These leaders personify the guiding principles that propel our Army forward and serve as an inspiration to those who follow in their footsteps.”

For more information on the Army Acquisition Hall of fame, visit https://asc.army.mil/web/hall-of-fame/.

 

 Ms. Maureen Cross

For exceptional leadership, selfless service, and enduring contributions to Army Acquisition, Ms. Maureen Cross is hereby inducted into the 2024 Class of the United States Army Acquisition Hall of Fame. Since joining the Army Acquisition Workforce in 1993, Ms. Cross served in a number of high-profile positions and established herself as a leader and team builder. In her role as the director of the Army Systems Acquisition Review Council Secretariat within the Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management Office, Ms. Cross provided program management oversight to more than 600 programs valued in excess of $30 billion annually. Ms. Cross’ comprehensive knowledge of regulation, policy and statute made her a trusted advisor to senior Army acquisition leaders, and resulted in vastly improved program success. Mrs. Cross’ profound and enduring contributions supporting the nation reflect great credit upon the United States Army and honor the Army Acquisition Workforce.

 

Ms. Cathy Dickens

For exceptional leadership, selfless service and enduring contributions to Army Acquisition, Ms. Cathy Dickens is hereby inducted into the 2024 Class of the United States Army Acquisition Hall of Fame. As the deputy to the commanding general of U.S. Army Aviation Command, Ms. Dickens managed a multifaceted and diverse organization with an annual budget of over $4 billion and a global workforce of over 11,000 military and civilian employees. Throughout her career, Ms. Dickens served as a trusted acquisition authority, consultant and advisor to a number of senior leaders, including managing and directing an acquisition program valued at $25 billion annually and active contracts of $110 billion. Ms. Dickens’ efforts saved taxpayer money while improving efficiencies to get Soldiers much-needed equipment in the field. Her profound and enduring contributions supporting the nation reflect great credit upon the United States Army and honor the Army Acquisition Workforce.

 

Mr. Gary Winkler

 

For exceptional leadership, selfless service, and enduring contributions to Army Acquisition, Mr. Gary Winkler is hereby inducted into the 2024 Class of the United States Army Acquisition Hall of Fame. Mr. Winkler served as the Army's first chief knowledge officer, and principal director for governance and acquisition, and provided oversight of Major Automated Information System programs and developed enduring Army policies, procedures and tools to prioritize and manage the Army’s IT-based capabilities. As Program Executive Officer for Enterprise Information Systems, Mr. Winkler managed a $4 billion portfolio of 40 major programs for large-scale enterprise systems supporting finance, logistics, personnel, communications infrastructure, biometrics, medical and warfighting functions. His profound and enduring contributions supporting the nation reflect great credit upon the United States Army and honor the Army Acquisition Workforce.

 

Retired Lt. Gen. Joseph Yakovac

For exceptional leadership, selfless service and enduring contributions to Army Acquisition, Lt. Gen Joseph Yakovac is hereby inducted into the 2024 class of the United States Army Acquisition Hall of Fame. Yakovac was instrumental in delivering capabilities to the field in his work with Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems and the development of the acquisition workforce at large when he served as director of the Army Acquisition Corps. Yakovac’s focus was always on people, programs and processes. He worked to instill a culture that encouraged people to work together across various domains and provided exemplary leadership and mentorship, developing future technical and acquisition leaders. His profound and enduring contributions supporting the nation reflect great credit upon the United States Army and honor the Army Acquisition Workforce.

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