Atlanta, Georgia - U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Linda M. Springer announced a 17-member panel of distinguished business executives, educators, and civic and community leaders from across the State of Georgia gathered in Atlanta today to consider nominations for the 2007 Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive and Senior Professional.

Panel members were slated to review the accomplishments of nominees -career members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), and Senior-Level (SL) and Scientific and Professional (ST) communities- for the 2007 Presidential Award of Meritorious Rank. The nominations must be approved by the agency head before forwarding them to OPM for final board review.

"This distinguished group of citizens will ensure the very best federal civil servants are considered for this prestigious recognition," said Springer. "It is a high honor to be named a President's Rank Award winner, and I am confident the work of this panel will result in the most deserving public servants receiving this award."

The Presidential Rank Award is the highest professional honor for career SES members and Senior Career Employees for exceptional performance over an extended period of time. Members of these communities manage many of the nation's most vital programs in defense, intelligence, the environment, energy, agriculture and others, and awardees receive a cash award of 20 percent of their base salary. Up to five percent of the career SES and SL/ST community may receive this rank.

This panel is the second of four slated to meet to consider nominees for the 2007 Presidential Rank Award. At the conclusion of the panels, Director Springer will send her recommendations to President George W. Bush, who will make the final selections and announce the award recipients later this year.

Members of the 2007 Presidential Rank Award Meritorious Review Board for the Atlanta area are:

• Gary Black, President, Georgia Agribusiness Council, Commerce, GA
• Pam Carnes, President & CEO, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, Canton, GA
• Dell P. Chappell, Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Atlanta, GA
• Holly Comer, Executive Director YWCA of NW Georgia, Marietta, GA
• Darrell Cutts, Piedmont Fayette Hospital, Fayetteville, GA
• Capt. Bob Gregory, USN, Retired, Athens, GA
• Major General Rick Goddard, USAF, Retired, Vice President & Chief Technology Officer Mercer University, Macon, GA
• Louise Hill, Community Leadership Development Specialist, The Fanning Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
• Kevin Little, Chairman, Walton County Board of Commissioners, Monroe, GA
• Wayne McMillan, President & CEO, Bobby Dodd Institute, Atlanta, GA
• Ann Nixon,Gainesville, GA
• Brian Noyes, President, Government and Public Affairs Division, Brock, Clay & Calhoun, Marietta, GA
• Ron Papaleoni, General Manager, Lake Allatoona Preservation Authority, Acworth, GA
• Trummie L. Patrick, Jr., Agent, State Farm, Roswell, GA
• Jose Perez,President, Target Market Trends, Norcross, GA
• Sandra Thompson, Ed.S., Faculty Member College of Education, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA
• Walter Vinson, Intergovernmental Affairs Manager, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, GA