PETERSON AFB, CO -- Dr. David Finkleman, Director of Analysis and Chief Technical Officer for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Space Command, was recognized as a Distinguished Executive for 2001 by President George W. Bush during the president's presentation to senior government leaders at Constitution Hall on Oct. 15. The president met with senior leaders to acknowledge their contributions and exceptional service to America.
The Distinguished Executive rank is the highest designation for federal civilian executives. It is awarded to leaders for their sustained extraordinary accomplishments and results. Only 1 percent of the Senior Executive Service Corps is selected for this award each year. Besides the honor, those selected receive a stipend of 35 percent of their base salary, a distinctive gold pin, and a certificate signed by the president.
As Director of Analysis for NORAD and U.S. Space Command, Dr. Finkleman was instrumental in applying emerging technologies to a host of command challenges, which included aerospace defense, ballistic and cruise missile detection, orbit prediction and command and control systems.
Dr. Finkleman has been in the civil service for more than 40 years. He has served the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. He has been the senior civilian in NORAD and USSPACECOM since 1985. He is a previous recipient of the Distinguished Executive Rank and twice a recipient of the next most important designation, Meritorious Executive, once from the elder President Bush. Dr. Finkeman has also earned the highest peacetime civilian decorations in the Department of Defense and in the Navy, Distinguished Service Medals.
Dr. Finkleman retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Colonel and a recipient of the military Legion of Merit. He is active in Rotary International. A member of the Colorado Mountain Club for more than 30 years, he is an avid mountaineer and skier, having scaled almost all of the14,000 foot peaks in Colorado. He also builds and flies model aircraft of all types from indoor duration through two-meter radio controlled sailplanes. Dr. Finkleman is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has written widely for both technical and national policy publications and organizations.
NORAD has been responsible for North American Aerospace Defense for more than 45 years. NORAD is staffed jointly by U.S. and Canadian military and civilian personnel. The Command includes three regions, Alaska, Canada, and the Continental United States. United States Space Command was established in 1985 to enable all military space needs and missions. USSPACECOM is staffed by military personnel and civilians from all of the military services