Fort Lee employee garners professional womens' award

Courtesy Photo | Susan Troendle, chief, Training Development Division, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Directorate, Ordnance School, was named the 2014 Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women. The NAPA has more than 300 chapters nationwide and more than 600,000 members. Troendle has bee been in her current position since 2009 and is a veteran of Desert Shield and Storm.  

UNITED STATES

07.10.2014

Story by Terrance Bell  

Fort Gregg-Adams

FORT LEE, Va. - A Fort Lee civilian has been named Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women.

Susan Troendle, chief, Training Development Division, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Directorate, Ordnance School, earned the award earlier this year. The Idaho native said she felt a deep sense of humility and honor following the announcement.

“I was extremely humbled and flattered that I was even considered,” she said, noting she was surprised by the award. “I thought, ‘I have so much more to do.’ The feeling is really hard to describe.”

NAPW is an organization that aims to connect with like-minded professional women. According to its website, it has more than 300 chapters representing more than 600,000 members, making it the largest women’s organization in the country.

Troendle, who said she doesn’t know who nominated her for the honor, has spent more than 16 years in military training administration as a Soldier and civilian. She also is a former elementary school teacher and a member of the Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.

Additionally, Troendle volunteers for the Hopewell branch of the Appomattox Regional Library System. Having accumulated more than 300 volunteer hours last year, she said serving people is her passion.

“I like working in the community because we’re all part of it,” she said. “I believe we should all contribute to society because if we don’t, it can’t exist and thrive; it can’t serve our interests.”

Troendle said she has been influenced by many who supported her throughout her career but her mother, Alice Balkovetz, and grandmother, LaVern Sauers, had the most impact.

“They were assertive women when women were not assertive,” she said.

Troendle has been in her current position since 2009. She manages seven subordinates in an organization that is responsible for explosive ordnance disposal training. More than 2,000 military members attend EOD training each year.

A veteran of Desert Shield and Storm, Troendle is also a recipient of the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe; the Superior Civilian Service Award; Bronze Award, Outstanding Supervisor award, Baltimore Federal Executive Board; and Woman of the Year Award, Federal Women’s Program, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.

She is a magna cum laude graduate of Cameron University and is working on a master’s degree through East Carolina University. She plans to pursue a doctorate in the future.

• Date Taken: 07.10.2014
• Date Posted: 07.10.2014 09:00
• Story ID: 135706
• Location: US