Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) celebrated the exceptional achievements of its employees at the annual Command Awards Ceremony held at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia on January 13, 2026. The event recognized individuals and teams whose dedication, innovation, and leadership have advanced the command’s mission and strengthened its impact on the fleet.
NSWCPD Awards Program Manager Celynda Cortez welcomed attendees and served as the emcee, leading an event where NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt. Joseph Darcy and Technical Director Nigel C. Thijs, SES, presented the award recipients with trophies and certificates to acknowledge their achievements.
“Today’s ceremony is all about the remarkable people who drive our Command forward,” said Celynda Cortez, Master of Ceremonies for the 2025 Command Awards Ceremony. “Each honoree represents the innovation, teamwork, and dedication that define our workforce. Their achievements not only advance our mission but also inspire all of us to continue striving for excellence in support of the fleet.”
NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt. Joseph Darcy opened the ceremony by commending the honorees: “The skill of our people is the key to the Navy’s success. We all contribute to the ships and submarines sailing over the horizon. It’s the people at NSWCPD that stand ready to meet the Navy’s needs for the next 150 years.”
Building on that message of enduring capability, NSWCPD Technical Director Nigel C. Thijs, SES, emphasized how the award winners exemplify the qualities that will shape the Command’s future: “Their innovation, leadership, resourcefulness, and dedication not only strengthen our mission today but also align with NSWCPD’s Vision 2030, ensuring we remain at the forefront of naval engineering for decades to come.”
Individual award recipients were also recognized with the CivilianService Commendation Medal, the fourth highest honorary award in the Department of Navy. The Civilian Service Commendation Medal is awarded to Department of Navy civilians whose exceptional performance far surpasses the standards outlined in their performance evaluations.
The 2025 Command Award winners included:
Lifetime Achievement Award, Paul DiTaranto The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an employee with over 25 years of federal service who has demonstrated significant leadership and made outstanding and noteworthy contributions to the command. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Submarine Sail Technical Warrant Holder Paul DiTaranto for his dedicated 37 years of service to the Undersea Warfare (USW) and Submarine Technical Community. He ensured technical rigor in Submarine Sail Systems and Equipment, enabling discrete operations worldwide, which are a vital part of the U.S. Navy Nuclear Triad. He currently oversees the Submarine Sail hull, machinery, and electrical equipment (HM&E) lifecycle for Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) 05Z. He has ensured safe equipment operations, provided operational availability, and mentored the next generation of engineers and acquisition specialists, safeguarding submarine fleet superiority.
Early Career Achievement Award, Noah Zorzi The Early Career Achievement Award is presented to an individual with less than five years at NSWCPD who has shown significant and innovative early career contributions and achievements. The Early Career Achievement Award was given to Disability Program Manager Noah Zorzi in the Equal Employment Opportunity Office for his innovative early career contributions and achievements. He consistently demonstrated dedication to the command’s mission to transform accessibility in the workplace. His efforts yielded a measurable impact on operational effectiveness, employee morale, and overall mission success.
Technical Achievement Award, Andrew Gliddon The Technical Achievement Award is presented to an individual or team whose achievement resulted in a significant contribution to the state of the art, a major technical achievement, or a recent record of accomplishment and technical excellence. The individual Technical Achievement Award was presented to Information Technology (IT) Cybersecurity Specialist Andrew Gliddon for his exceptional technical expertise, leadership, and dedication to enhancing Carrier (CVN) Ship Control Systems (SCS) and the SCS-Gov program. His contributions represent a major technical achievement, demonstrably improving fleet readiness, safety, and operational effectiveness.
The Team Technical Achievement Award, Static Automatic Bus Transfer (SABT) Harvest Team The Team Technical Achievement Award was presented to the Static Automatic Bus Transfer (SABT) Harvest Team for their collaboration and accomplishments in securing Guided-Missile Destroyer (DDG) Modernization efforts through SABT refurbishment. Team members: Robert Morris, Umer Hussain, Max Sementilli, Timothy Dore, Kevin Buerkle, Andrew Ragni, Ashiquir Khan, Timothy Becker, Thomas Ryan, and Matthew Donley.
Technical Supervisory Achievement Award, Joseph Lopez The Technical Supervisory Achievement Award is presented to up to two individuals who reflect exemplary performance in a technical supervisory or management role. The Technical Supervisory Achievement Award was presented to Sustainment and Modernization Branch Manager Joseph Lopez for his exceptional technical leadership and significant contributions to modernizing the U.S. Navy surface fleet, and Launch/Recovery and also to Hydraulic Systems Branch Manager Francis Brennanfor his technical proficiency, strategic insight, and transformative leadership.
Business Operations Achievement Award, Dr. Laura Santiago The Business Operations Achievement Award is presented to a non-supervisory support professional or team that has consistently demonstrated and sustained outstanding performance, exceeding goals and resulting in significant achievements or impact. The individual Business Operations Achievement Award was presented to Lead Training Specialist Dr. Laura Santiago for her significant project management achievements in optimizing the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Program, a high-visibility program throughout the NAVSEA enterprise, developing a dashboard that achieved 100 percent compliance and was adopted enterprise-wide.
Team Business Operations Achievement Award, Administrative Space Renovation Team The Team Business Operations Achievement Award was presented to the Administrative Space Renovation Team for their strategic seating increase, transformative workplace improvements, and collaborative project execution. As a cross-branch collaborative effort within the Infrastructure Division, the team dramatically improved workplace conditions and seating capacity across buildings at the command. Team members: Zachary Mohn, Andrew DiCicco, Ryan Taggart, Paul Johnson, Antonia Manivannan, Bryheem Shydee Thomas, Charles Raudenbush, Ernest Dellapia, and Kenneth Cooper.
Business Operations Supervisory Achievement Award, Michael Perri and Rayann M. Surel The Business Operations Supervisory Achievement Award is presented to two individuals who have shown exemplary performance in a business operations supervisory or management role. The Business Operations Supervisory Achievement Award was presented to Infrastructure Division Head Michael Perri for his exceptional leadership at the command, and Corporate Operations Department Contracting Officer’s Representative Supervisor Rayann M. Surel for her unwavering commitment, leadership, and teambuilding efforts.
Innovation Award, Rosemary Shuman The Innovation Award is presented to an individual or team that consistently demonstrates innovative efforts and accomplishments that improve the command’s operations. The individual Innovation Award was presented to Contracts Department Program Manager Rosemary Shuman for her leadership that has revolutionized the command's approach to Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) and the Maritime Sustainment Technology and Innovation Consortium (MSTIC).
The Team Innovation Award, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Class Machinery Control Systems (MCS) Playback Tool Team The Team Innovation Award was presented to the USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Class Machinery Control Systems (MCS) Playback Tool Team for their collaborative efforts and significant technical achievements, which revolutionized the maintenance and support of critical machinery systems on DDG 51 class destroyers. Team members: Nicholas Stepenosky and Brian Rivera-Lau.
Industrial Support Achievement Award, S. Lamont Veal Sr. The Industrial Support Achievement Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates industrial support dedication to the command’s vision and mission by displaying efforts above and beyond the call of duty, providing outstanding leadership, and consistent high-quality service to internal and external customers. The Industrial Support Achievement Award was presented to Industrial Support Division Plant Operations and Maintenance Supervisor S. Lamont Veal Sr. for his outstanding leadership of the third shift team, his measurable improvements to employee qualifications and performance, and his instrumental role in implementing command-wide facility upgrades.
Distinguished Mentorship Award, Heather Rhoads The Distinguished Mentorship Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates a commitment to mentorship and has established a track record for successful mentorship in a supportive environment. The Distinguished Mentorship Award was presented to Contracting Division Branch Manager Heather Rhoads for her exceptional guidance of junior employees, her cultivation of a supportive team environment, and her delivery of significant improvements in outstanding branch performance.
Outstanding Leadership Award, Eric Mscisz The Outstanding Leadership Award is presented to an individual who positively influenced and provided a sense of purpose, vision, and mission for others through formal and informal leadership. The Outstanding Leadership Award was presented to Auxiliary Machinery Systems Division Manager Eric Mscisz for driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and empowering team members to achieve exceptional results.
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,700 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.