ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – The U.S. Army inducted a new member to its Senior Executive Service during a ceremony March 12 at the Army’s sole fundamental research laboratory.
Kimberly G. Ploskonka, director of the Research Business Directorate within the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory, took the oath of office during an SES pinning and induction ceremony hosted by DEVCOM ARL Acting Director Dr. Eric L. Moore.
The SES was designed by Congress to be an elite corps of managers and administrators charged with running the federal government. In the Army, senior executives are the civilian counterparts of general officers.
“It is a distinct honor to recognize Kim Ploskonka as she is formally inducted into the Senior Executive Service,” Moore said. “She is truly deserving of this remarkable accomplishment.”
Moore went on to note that an appointment as an SES is one of the highest honors for individual, dedicated public servants. It signifies the culmination of years of honing one’s craft as a leader, driving change, developing employees and ensuring mission success.
“I believe that any good organization should reflect the personality of its leaders, and with leaders like Kim, ARL RBD is motivated largely by the environment and culture she embodies,” Moore said. “They are extremely fortunate to have Kim and her leadership. I have quickly come to believe that ARL is one of the best places to work, a place that is truly pushing the frontiers of science. I look forward to continue serving with Kim now as an official member of the SES.”
Michael C. Monteleone, director of Programming and Integration at the U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command, who began his career with Ploskonka, spoke about Kim and the foundation that led her to be the leader that she is today.
“We at least, at minimum, owe our nation’s heroes our unwavering commitment to excellence on their behalf, and I can say from decades of personal experience that Kim Ploskonka lives that commitment every day,” Monteleone said. “She asks the questions that truly matter-- Are we delivering the very best for our Soldiers? Are we actually solving the problem?”
For Kim, he said, leadership was never about titles or positions, it was about supporting the workforce, advancing and delivering results.
“Kim is someone you can always count on, she’s prepared, she’s professional and steady, even when others are not,” Monteleone said. “She has the rare ability to dive into detail when precision is required, but she’s also able to make tough decisions and accept risk when perfect information just simply does not exist. She builds strong teams, recognizes contributions and leads with compassion, while also stepping in decisively when friction and conflict threaten our mission. She values partnership and will avoid duplication. Teams look to her not just as a leader, but as a trusted advocate. Her focus on the people side of this business has always had a profound impact.”
He concluded by saying that as strong as Kim’s professional leadership, that foundation and strength is certainly her family.
“Kim’s values, priorities and sense of balance are deeply rooted in her family and the support they provide,” Monteleone said.
In her current role, Ploskonka is responsible for the management and execution of all aspects of human capital, intelligence and security, information technology, program planning and resource management, contracts and acquisition, logistics, facilities and infrastructure, environmental compliance, analytics, and program management, including strategic initiatives and outreach.
“I am honored to accept this promotion to the SES,” Ploskonka said. “Since taking my oath as an Army civilian in 2000, I’ve had a front row seat to our force’s transformation. Today, it’s the privilege of a lifetime to move from that seat to help steer the course of change.”
As she steps into this role, she said, she is reminded that leadership is never a solo endeavor, it is the ultimate team sport.
“This appointment is not a personal victory, but rather a testament to the collective strength, wisdom and support of the many professional and personal teams that have lifted me up,” Ploskonka said. “My professional path, and indeed my presence on this very stage, was paved by the guidance of an extraordinary team of mentors. While that team formed my professional career, the foundation upon which that career stands, the very person before you, was formed by another team entirely, my family.”
She went on to state that a leader’s greatest responsibility is to foster an environment where the team succeeds together with clear expectations and a shared understanding of the goal. However, leadership is also about embracing new challenges to test your abilities in unfamiliar territories.
“You never succeed alone, success is built through trusted partnerships, mutual respect, and a shared purpose,” Ploskonka said. “Stepping into this role, I bring that lesson as my guide. My commitment is to empower our most valuable resource, our people. I will
break down barriers and foster collaborations needed to make faster, smarter and more impactful decisions. This is how we will deliver operational relevance at the speed of need, this is how we will be a lethal, agile and resilient force our nation requires. I am excited to continue this journey with all of you, forming a unified team ready to meet the challenges of the decisive time. I thank you for this honor.”
Prior to her current role, Ploskonka was principal deputy of the ARL Regional Site Synchronization Office, where she oversaw ARL regional campuses to foster trusted partnerships for the Army S&T enterprise.
Before joining ARL, she served as the acting director of the DEVCOM Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or C5ISR, Center’s Engineering and Systems Integration Directorate. During that time, she also upheld her duties as the principal deputy director.
Ploskonka’s extensive career also includes serving as the deputy director and acting director for the C5ISR Center's Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate and as chief of the Tactical Communications Division.
She is a member of the Association of the United States Army, MG Harry Greene, Aberdeen Chapter. Her awards include the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, Superior Civilian Service Medal, Commander’s Award for Civilian Service and the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service.
She earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Rutgers College of Engineering, an executive master's degree in technology management from Stevens Institute of Technology and a master's degree in accountancy in governmental accounting from Rutgers Business School. She is a certified practitioner in both engineering and technical management and program management, and she is a member of the U.S. Army Acquisition Corps.
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DEVCOM ARL is the Army’s sole fundamental research laboratory serving as the nexus of science between the military, academia and industry. ARL executes globally recognized research to accelerate delivery of war-winning, disruptive technologies for tomorrow’s Army.
For information, visit https://arl.devcom.army.mil/.
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