NORFOLK, Va. – Officer in Charge of Construction (OICC) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Maine recently announced its selection for the 2022 Civilian and Military Engineers of the Year.
Honored are Diana Mccullough, P.E., a structural engineer and design manager, and Lt. Cmdr. Chris Thomas, who serves as executive officer of OICC PNSY.
“Please join me in congratulating Diane McCullough and Lt. Cmdr. Chris Thomas earning the first Civilian and Military Engineers of the Year for Officer In Charge of Construction Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,” said OICC PNSY commanding officer, Capt. Frank Carroll. “Both had an amazing year documented in their submissions and are most deserving.”
Both engineers have been instrumental in the initial foundation of a $1.7 billion multi-mission dry dock effort to recapitalize PNSY, formally establishing a new command charged with providing robust on-site construction oversight and command-level accountability for resident engineering services, as well as coordination among stakeholders.
The OICC PNSY team has executed numerous large contracts and is applying innovative and efficient processes to improve critical existing dry dock complexes as a part of Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) aboard PNSY. SIOP is a Navywide effort to modernize infrastructure at the four public shipyards, including critical dry dock repairs, restoring and optimally placing shipyard facilities and replacing aging and deteriorating capital equipment.
Diana Mccullough, P.E, OICC PNSY Civilian Engineer of the Year
McCullough started work with NAVFAC in 2019 providing design management and structural engineering expertise. She was soon assigned to be the design manager for the Dry Dock Superflood Basin currently underway at PNSY, a $158 million strategic project directly supporting the shipyard’s mission to maintain and repair nuclear-powered submarines.
Based in part on her success with that project, she will transition to become the primary design manager for the multi-mission dry dock.
These projects are key components in the Fleet’s plan to address critical submarine maintenance and deployment shortfalls. Managing a multi-disciplinary team of in-house and contracted engineers, McCullough is oversees major project milestones critical to the functionality of the shipyard.
Work to date includes installation of deep foundation elements, dredging, underwater rock excavation, sheet pile cellular cofferdams, delivery and installation of large pre-cast concrete structures, ground level crane rail, and mechanical and electrical utility distribution infrastructure.
This SIOP initiative has seen the completion of steel sheet pile wharf facings and mooring hardware to allow for transition of a submarine exiting dry dock through the active construction site, as well as fabrication, delivery, and installation of a precast concrete structure to form the west end of the super flood basin within the Piscataqua river. Also delivered was a phased completion of ground level crane rail installation to support delivery, offload, and acceptance testing of a heavy lift portal crane within the active construction site.
Though McCullough said she is honored by the recognition, she is quick to shift credit to the teamwork crucial for successful design and construction projects.
“The recognition means that all of the hard work our team has put in over the past year and a half on the Superflood Basin has not gone unnoticed by the organization,” she said. “I am happy to receive the recognition for my efforts as the design manager and hope to continue providing a positive impact for the projects and NAVFAC.”
McCullough is a graduate of the Bucknell University and Lehigh University, and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Pennsylvania. In addition to her work with NAVFAC, she has also volunteered her time as a Future City Engineering Mentor, aiding middle school students in their annual project, and with the Animal Welfare Society.
Lt. Cmdr. Chris Thomas, P.E, OICC PNSY Military Engineer of the Year
Assigned to NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, a fleet engineering command within NAVFAC Atlantic, Thomas was tapped to move to OICC PNSY in March 2021. Noted for his engineering acumen and leadership strengths, he oversaw the team development of 15 distinct projects, leading his team to manage a program valued at $2.3 billion overall.
“I’m humbled and honored to be selected as the OICC’s Military Engineer of the Year given the work being executed to support the shipyard and the Navy,” said Thomas, adding, “I’m extremely proud to be a part of this team.”
Construction efforts to date include the installation of deep foundation elements, dredging, underwater rock blasting in an operational environment, sheet pile cellular cofferdams, delivery and installation of 5,600-ton pre-cast concrete structures, crane rail to support a 140-ton crane, train rail to support submarine power units, and mechanical and electrical utility distribution infrastructure.
A herculean effort in both scope and value, Thomas has kept an aggressive tempo to keep the important venture on schedule—these projects have a direct and immediate impact on critical shipyard operations, supporting the shipyard’s ability to conduct maintenance, repairs and upgrades quickly and efficiently and returning submarines to the fleet on time. This in turn supports the Navy’s operational posture and enables the fleet to be wherever it’s needed, whenever it’s needed, around the globe. Using a new 120-ton crane, Thomas also supervised a $60 million refueling complex as well as assistance to the shipyard as they finished submarine repairs during a notable overhaul.
Beyond the myriad complex features associated with the operational requirements project, Thomas also oversaw the official commissioning of the OICC PNSY command as executive officer in September 2021.
Thomas is an alumnus of University of Maryland, receiving both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Illinois.
These honorees will now go on for consideration for the NAVFAC Civilian Engineer of the Year and Military Engineer of the Year awards, respectively, competing among engineers across the entire systems command enterprise. If successful, they are then eligible for additional honors in the National Society of Professional Engineers’ Federal Engineer of the Year award program.
| Date Taken: | 12.06.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.06.2021 17:40 |
| Story ID: | 410562 |
| Location: | VA, US |
| Web Views: | 169 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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