Driessnack Distinguished Service Award

EVM Europe Ambassador, Mr Walt Lipke attended the EVM World Conference held in San Antonio, Texas where he was presented with the Driessnack Distinguished Service Award by the President of the College of Performance Management (CPM), Mr. Gary Troop.

Walt was nominated for this award (which is the CPM’s most prestigious award for distinguished service) by the President of the EVM Europe Association, Prof. Dr. Mario Vanhoucke and Treasurer, Ing. Stephan Vandevoorde in a letter to CPM in September 2013.

Gary Troop’s introductory speech highlighted the award criteria which are:

Awarded to individuals who have made major contributions to project performance management policy, concepts, and practices, which have national and international implications.  This recognition is awarded to individuals who have provided critical contributions to the evolution of Earned Value Management and project planning and control standards, research, and education, and have promoted the exchange of theory, development, and application among project management professionals.
Gary then focused on Walt’s contribution to the project performance management community which met the criteria of “national and international implications” from the development of the Earned Schedule which Gary also noted has been validated by academic research at Ghent University in Belgium and the US Air Force Institute of Technology in the United States.
 

In Walt’s response, he said that when he was notified of his:

“selection for the award by CPM’s President, Gary Troop. I was thrilled. The Driessnack Distinguished Service Award is one for which, in my wildest brain storms, I never thought I would be, even considered.”

Walt then spoke of his personal dilemma in deciding whether or not it would be necessary to receive the award in person when he had an “epiphany”:

“I came to realize that individual awards aren’t solely for the named person. It is more so a recognition of an idea or an ideal. Yes, of course, the named person has a significant role … but, there is a much larger recognition.”

before concluding:

“And so …I am here. I am here to accept this prestigious award. It is an award …not only for me …but for all who have participated and made the investment to apply, research, and support Earned Schedule. It is a validation of the idea. With this thought, thanks to all in their support of Earned Schedule …and me, as well. Finally, I am reconciled. …Thank you CPM for this recognition. It is a great honour.”

The Board of the EVM Europe Association is very pleased that CPM accepted the nomination submitted from Europe for Walt to receive the Driessnack Distinguished Service Award.

We look forward to a continued collaboration with Walt on the research projects we are conducting in Europe and ways we can achieve our mission of “Research Meets Practice” in the years ahead.