The Partnership for Public Service has announced that Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Samuel J. Palmisano, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the IBM Corporation, have been named the 2007 Private Sector Council Leadership Award recipients for their outstanding contributions to improving the federal government through public-private sector partnerships.
The awards are presented to a private and public sector leader annually by the Partnership’s Private Sector Council (PSC). The PSC connects experts from Fortune 500 corporations with federal leaders to confront government’s key management challenges on an operational level.
The Partnership has singled out both Senator Collins and Palmisano among their colleagues for their leadership and commitment to improving government effectiveness in a number of critical areas.
Senator Collins has led efforts to reform the U.S. intelligence community, improve chemical security and modernize the postal service. She also led the bipartisan Senate inquiry into the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, and recently sponsored FEMA reform legislation.
Sam Palmisano has displayed an extraordinary commitment to improving government effectiveness through IBM’s Center for the Business of Government. IBM made a significant donation of speech translation technology to the U.S. Department of Defense for humanitarian use in Iraq. In addition, IBM has successfully partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor and prevent pandemics and with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to curb carbon dioxide emissions.
“Senator Susan Collins has distinguished herself as a dedicated champion for improving government performance. She gets things done, building coalitions so good ideas become good laws,” said Max Stier, Partnership for Public Service president. “We are honored to present the 2007 Public Sector Leadership Award to Senator Collins.”
“Thanks to Sam Palmisano’s leadership, IBM is one of the world’s most admired companies. We commend his focus on improving government effectiveness through the IBM Center for the Business of Government,” said Stier. “I can think of no one more deserving of the 2007Private Sector Leadership Award -- Sam Palmisano is truly an outstanding corporate citizen.”
Presenters at the Washington, DC ceremony included Partnership founder Samuel J. Heyman, who will present the award to Palmisano, and Dugan Shipway, President, Bath Iron Works who will present Senator Collins with her Leadership Award.
The Partnership for Public Service works to revitalize federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works. The Partnership’s Private Sector Council connects experts from Fortune 500 corporations with federal leaders to confront government’s key management challenges on an operational level.
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