St. Louis, Mo.

In the first week of June, employees from the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) traveled to the Office of Public Health Science’s Midwestern Laboratory in St. Louis, Mo., to modernize the network infrastructure. As a result of the upgrade, customers at the laboratory now have reliable, secure and faster access to FSIS applications.

 
Pictured above, from left: Systems Integration Branch Chief Jaime Bonilla (OCIO); Cybersecurity Specialist Barry Strong (OCIO); Cloud System Administrator Vangel Georgiev (OCIO); Laboratory Data Management Specialist Nizar Hussein (Midwestern Lab); and FSIS Field Services Contractor Shannon Steele (OCIO). Photo taken by a USDA employee.

Pictured above, from left: Cloud System Administrator Vangel Georgiev (OCIO) performed software upgrades on new network equipment and showed new configurations to the Midwestern Lab staff. From left: Georgiev; FSIS Contractor Jay Adams (OCIO); and Laboratory Data Management Specialist Nizar Hussein (Midwestern Lab). Photo by Systems Integration Branch Chief Jaime Bonilla, OCIO.

Brea, Calif.

On May 24, Administrator Paul Kiecker and other presenters attended the Alameda District Frontline Supervisors meeting. Kiecker stressed how employees remain our top priority; discussed the importance of filling vacancies and providing employees opportunities for development; and encouraged everyone to proactively play a role in recruitment while they spread the word about FSIS being a great place to work. 

Pictured, back row, from left: Frontline Supervisors (FLS) Dr. Vaughn Taylor-Lehman, Dr. Molly Johnson, Dr. Gregory Abreu and Tracy Hernandez; District Manager William Griffin; Deputy District Manager (DDM) Frank Gillis; FLSs Dr. Maredyth Dutton, Dr. Ahmed Darwish, Dr. Larrina Williams and Dr. Fausto Manotok.

Middle Row, from left: FLSs Dr. Altaf Ahmed and Heather Havens; Program Analyst Megan Potts, OFO; FLS Cheryl Henry; Kiecker; FLS Sabrina King; Resource Manager Sukhdeep “Tutu” Sidhu, OFO; and FLS Dr. Belinda Keller. 

Front Row, from left: Supervisory Enforcement, Investigation and Analysis Officer Michelle Tiojanco, FLSs Nashante Barnes and Dr. Sara Leisgang; DDM Abdalla Amin; FLSs Dr. Faryka Rogers and Dr. Dawn Walters; Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations Sherri Johnson, OFO; Supervisory Investigator Adriana Perez, OIEA; DDM Dr. Virginia Felix; FLS Dr. Alaaelddeen “Al” Ahmed; and District Veterinary Medical Specialist Dr. Lucy Anthenill.

Photo by Deputy Chief of Staff Robert Witte, OA.

Green Bay, Wisc.

On May 27, Administrator Paul Kiecker bought pizza for the inspection team at two large meat slaughter and processing establishments and thanked them for their hard work. The group talked about working a lot of overtime and ways to attract new employees to FSIS. They also talked about various benefits of working for FSIS, in addition to pay, such as health insurance, annual and sick leave, retirement match and career advancement opportunities.

Pictured above, back row, from left: Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI) Derek Moede; Kiecker; Food Inspectors (FI) Andy Brehmer and Dave Famous; Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) and Inspector-in-Charge Dr. Edward Foeltz; SPHV Dr. L. Clayton Apgar; and FI William Whitcomb.

Middle row, from left: CSI Irene Ramirez, Frontline Supervisor Dr. Paula Valeria; FI Brandi Miklos; CSIs Cristina Vera, Beth Miller, Greg Elbe and Angel Silva; and FI Zach Margelofsky.

Front row, from left: FI Brian Krueger and CSI Glen Strzelecki.

(Not pictured: Supervisory Consumer Safety Inspector Osvaldo Galo; SPHVs Dr. Jessica Daul and Dr. Joseph Gaines; and FI Jennifer Wagner.)

Photo by Deputy Chief of Staff Robert Witte, OA.

Pictured above, back row, from left: Food Inspector (FI) Adolfo Perez; Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI) Amber DuChateau; Kiecker; and FIs Rafael Rodriguez and Jay Glodowski.

Front row, from left: CSI Paul Peterson; FIs Crystal Rodriguez and Debbie Nelson; Frontline Supervisor (FLS) Dr. Paula Valeria; FIs Alberto Sanchez and William Petrosky. (Not Pictured: Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian and Inspector-in-Charge Dr. Rebecca Hauser; Supervisory Consumer Safety Inspector Kohler Nicklaus; CSIs Dan Powers and Dan LaCrosse; and FI Sandra Flores). 

Photo by Deputy Chief of Staff Robert Witte, OA.

Gentry, Ark.

On May 18, Administrator Paul Kiecker visited with employees at a large poultry slaughter and processing establishment. Everyone shared how they came to work for FSIS. Several employees were recruited by friends or family, and others had recruited their own friends and family to work for FSIS! They also discussed how New Poultry Inspection System allowed for more flexible scheduling.

Pictured above, from left:

Office of Field Operations Springdale District Manager Jeff Barham; Consumer Safety Inspectors (CSI) Vincent Corbino, Johnny Griner, Tammy Clark, Cheryl Morgan and Brent McVay; Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Lisa Tresp Chavez; Kiecker; Supervisory Consumer Safety Inspector Jymae Lopez; CSIs Kobe Budder and "Gina" Baker; Frontline Supervisor Dr. Ricky Couch.

Photo by Dr. Sally Ann Iverson, OPACE.

Minneapolis, Minn.

On May 26, Administrator Paul Kiecker and Chief Operating Officer Todd Reed met with the Human Resources team. The group discussed delays they’ve experienced getting computers for new employees, leveraging technology to communicate with job applicants during the application process, and ideas for making the hiring process more efficient for both the applicants and hiring managers making the selection. 

Pictured above, back row, from left: Staffing Section Chief Jacob Cavegn; Chief Operating Officer Todd Reed; Staffing Specialist Joseph Devine; Benefits Specialist Noelle Corbo; Benefits Section Chief Earl Bilek; Kiecker; Benefits Specialist Karen Werronen.

Middle row, from left: Staffing Section Chief Dave Laes; Benefits Section Chief Sean Murphy; Benefits Section Chief Apryl Wagner; Staffing Section Chief Jana Gunther; Staffing Section Chief Scott Koscielniak, Benefits Specialist Matt McGee; Benefits Assistant Katie Stoll; Staffing Specialist Douglas Welder; Benefits Subject Matter Expert Kayla Bixler; Classification Section Chief Jerry Button.

Front row, from left: Information Systems Specialist Wendy Sonnabend; Human Resources Operations Division Director Laura Frantes; Branch Chief Jacki Nelson; Branch Chief Dan Hanowski.

Photo by Deputy Chief of Staff Robert Witte, OA.

Miami, Okla.

On May 18, Administrator Paul Kiecker visited the Quapaw Food Services Authority to tour the facility and discuss slaughter and processing of bison under voluntary inspection.

Pictured, from left: Kiecker, Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Garett Flores, Consumer Safety Inspector Virginia “Shelly” Wilcox, Front Line Supervisor Dr. Staci Myers.

Photo by Dr. Sally Ann Iverson, OPACE.
 
Franklin Park, Ill.

On May 5, Administrator Paul Kiecker and Office of Field Operations Chicago District Manager Dr. Donald Fickey toured a large poultry processing and not ready-to-eat stuffed chicken facility. They observed poultry processing and talked with inspection program personnel about employee engagement.

Pictured, from left: Frontline Supervisor Dr. Aly Mohsen, FSIS Chief of Staff Karen Hunter, Consumer Safety Inspector Suzana Stefanvska, Fickey, Kiecker.

Photo by an establishment employee.
 
Lombard, Ill.

On May 4-5, Administrator Paul Kiecker traveled to the Office of Field Operations (OFO) Chicago District to speak at the Frontline Supervisor (FLS) / Enforcement, Investigations, and Analysis Officer (EIAO) meeting and visit establishments in the area. At the FLS-EIAO meeting, he covered various topics including hiring as well as employee engagement and development.  

Pictured, from left: EIAO Daryl Duvall; Kiecker; FLSs Dr. Mohsen Aly, Keith Rahn and Dr. Jenifer Tolan; EIAO Sheila McMillan; OFO Chicago District Manager Dr. Don Fickey; EIAOs Ben Duvall and Derrick Beasley.

Photo by Chief of Staff Karen Hunter, OA. 

Grand Prairie, Texas

Program Analyst Cassandra Cantu and Data Analyst Christy Chanin, both of the Office of Planning, Analysis and Risk Management (OPARM), are conducting a data quality evaluation across FSIS sponsored by the Data Governance and Stewardship Committee and the Chief Data Scientist at FSIS Justin Ronca. The purpose of the evaluation is to understand business processes that are conducted within each Program Area and how those processes impact the quality of the data as well as day-to-day operations. They are currently working with the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA).

On May 5, Cantu and Chanin participated in a ride-along with compliance investigators in the OIEA Southwest Region to gain firsthand knowledge and experience of a “day in the life” of a compliance investigator. They conducted observations of surveillance activities during field visits to distribution centers and retail stores in Dallas. They also had an opportunity to observe compliance investigators entering surveillance data into AssuranceNet.

Pictured, from left: OEIA Supervisory Investigators Larry Belk and Ronald Wells; Cantu; Chanin; and OIEA Southwest Regional Director Shaun Smith.

Photo by a hotel employee.

Holcomb, Kan.

On May 12, Administrator Paul Kiecker presented letters of appreciation and Operational Excellence coins to the team at an establishment, the first beef slaughter establishment where inspection procedures were conducted using modified presentation. The lessons learned from the implementation at the establishment will inform how FSIS moves forward in this area.

Pictured, back row, from left: Springdale Deputy District Manager Dr. Evan Sumner; Supervisory Consumer Safety Inspector (SCSI) Steve Irvin; Frontline Supervisor Dr. Dennis Unruh; Consumer Safety Inspectors (CSI) Guillermo Macedo, Teresa Cruz, Sherry Clifton, Luz Aguilera, Nathan Bohannan, Elizabeth Soltero and Claudia Diaz-Hernandez; Kiecker; CSIs Juan Garcia, Crystal Perez, Joshua Hernandez and Therin Woolwine; Springdale District Manager Jeff Barham.

Pictured, front row, from left: SCSI Elwaleed Mansour; CSIs Maria Delrio, Elisha Martinez, May Garcia and Doug Meredith.

Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Camilo Potes and CSI Sandra Valdez also received awards (not pictured).

Photo by Deputy Chief of Staff Robert Witte, OA.. Photo by Deputy Chief of Staff Robert Witte, OA.

Houston, Texas

On May 5, Deputy Chief of Staff Mark Williams, along with Frontline Supervisor Gabriel Hamilton, visited establishments in the Houston, Texas, area to tour the processing facilities and thank the employees for their continued service to the food safety mission.

Pictured, from left: Williams, Hamilton and Consumer Safety Inspector Maria Lopez at Est. 45317.