Five NUWC Division Newport employees win NAVSEA Human Resources Community Awards

Photo By David Stoehr | Kevin Murphy, a data analyst in the Corporate Operations Planning, Policy and Analysis Branch at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, was part of a team that recently won a Naval Sea Systems Command Human Resources Community Award in the Collaboration Team category.  

NEWPORT, RI, UNITED STATES

01.28.2021

Story by Public Affairs Office 

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport

NEWPORT, R.I. — Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s Corporate Operations Department employees Albert Haughton, Brent Hedden, Laura McAlister, Janet Igo and Kevin Murphy, recently won Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Human Resources (HR) Community Awards.

Haughton, a resident of Gales Ferry, Connecticut, won in the Exceptional Customer Service category, which recognizes those who have made a sustained or significant impact to a customer or customer service delivery. As a technical expert for Labor and Employee Relations Branch, Haughton is known for his ability to address customer needs and ensure that they have a positive experience every time.

Haughton is “attentive, approachable and reliably handles employee relations matters in a knowledgeable, professional, patient and responsive manner,” the award states.

Hedden, a resident of Middletown, Rhode Island, won in the Collaboration category, which recognizes those who have fostered cooperation, collaboration, and open communication. He is an administrative technical specialist in the Workforce Development Branch and the lead point of contact for the command supervisor and leadership development training programs. In the last year, Hedden has planned multiple quarterly commanding officer/technical director supervisor trainings for over 200 supervisors. In response to COVID-19 travel limitations, Hedden was instrumental in launching a highly regarded virtual Propel course for newly appointed supervisors.

“His efforts provided a superior training environment and substantiated Division Newport’s ability to continue offering virtual training in the coming year,” the award states.

Along with Haughton, McAlister of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, Igo of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and Murphy of Tiverton, Rhode Island, won in the Collaboration Team category. Responsible for the Division’s awards, telework, leave, policy, and Human Resources Management System, the team worked closely with members of the Information Systems Branch to design and implement an automated tool to streamline the end-to-end processing of Time-Off Awards (TOA). The solution has saved more than 286 work hours in fiscal year 2019 within HR, as well as approximately 50 percent of work hours spent on TOA processing across Division Newport.

All of the winners will be honored in a future ceremony.

NUWC Division Newport is a shore command of the U.S. Navy within the Naval Sea Systems Command, which engineers, builds and supports America’s fleet of ships and combat systems. NUWC Newport provides research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems, and countermeasures associated with undersea warfare.

NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.

• Date Taken: 01.28.2021
• Date Posted: 01.28.2021 14:26
• Story ID: 387834
• Location: NEWPORT, RI, US
• Hometown: FAIRHAVEN, MA, US
• Hometown: GALES FERRY, CT, US
• Hometown: MIDDLETOWN, RI, US
• Hometown: PORTSMOUTH, RI, US
• Hometown: TIVERTON, RI, US