NAESCO || Conference Agenda

Tuesday 9 March 2021

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET

Presenters

DOD Performance Contracting Outlook

James Balocki

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Installations and Facilities, Department of the Navy

James Balocki was appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Facilities in October 2016. He is the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment) on Navy and Marine Corps policies related to military construction, facilities sustainment, restoration and modernization; acquisition, use and disposal of real property and facilities.

Mr. Balocki served previously as the Chief Executive Officer and Director Services and Installations of the U.S. Army Reserve at Fort Bragg, NC. He was responsible for the command’s facilities and infrastructure worldwide, operation of classified and unclassified information networks, acquisition of services and supplies, and management of 12,000 DoD civilians. From 2009 through 2013 Mr. Balocki held two senior executive service positions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Washington, DC, where he was responsible for engineering, infrastructure, environmental, scientific, and technical support to the Services, combatant commands and embassies; federal, state and local government agencies; foreign governments; and non-governmental organizations. Mr. Balocki deployed to Afghanistan in 2011, serving as the Director, Joint Programs Integration Office, Headquarters, US Forces-Afghanistan. He oversaw US and NATO construction programs to establish Afghan National Army and Police forces. He also worked closely with the State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Government of Afghanistan. Mr. Balocki was selected to the Senior Executive Service in July 2009 after completing a 28 year career as an active duty Engineer Officer in the Army.

Mr. Balocki’s significant training includes attending the National Defence College, Islamabad, Pakistan; CAPSTONE, National Defense University; and Senior Executive

Fellow, Harvard University. He holds Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering, Systems Management, and Defence and Strategic Studies.

Mr. Balocki maintains a current Professional Engineer license in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Army Engineer Regiment, Silver deFluery Medal, Legion of Merit, and American Society of Civil Engineers “Best Practice Paper.”

Mr. Balocki has published several articles related to resume and interview preparation, passing a SES qualification review and hiring federal employees.

Mark A. Correll

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety & Infrastructure, Department of the Air Force

Mark Correll, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He provides executive leadership on all matters pertaining to formulation, review and execution of plans, policies, programs, and budgets for Air Force built and natural infrastructure, environmental, safety, and occupational health programs. These include facility management, military construction, family housing, as well as acquisition, operation, maintenance, repair, and disposal of real property, environmental compliance and restoration, ground safety, and workplace health.

Mr. Correll was commissioned in the Air Force in 1981 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, earning a degree in civil engineering. He commanded two civil engineer squadrons, a mission support group, and an air base wing. He retired in 2010 in the rank of colonel. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Correll served as the Air Force Deputy Civil Engineer. In that position he provided leadership, direction and technical knowledge to organize, train, and equip a 60,000-person engineering force as well as development, construction, operation, maintenance, emergency response, readiness, housing, and environmental quality of Air Force bases worldwide. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2010. Mr. Correll is registered as a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Walter Ludwig

Director, Energy Performance, U.S. Department of Defense

J.E. "Jack" Surash

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy & Sustainability, Department of the Army

Jack Surash has been the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy and Sustainability since September 2016. In this position he is responsible for overall program direction, establishment of policies, development and refinement of strategies, and oversight for implementation of all programs and initiatives related to energy and water resilience and sustainability within the Army. As the Army's Senior Energy Executive, Mr. Surash coordinates and integrates both installation and operational energy programs and strategies.

Mr. Surash comes to the Pentagon from the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (EM), where he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Project Management. In that position, he led efforts for EM’s annual $6 billion portfolio, served as EM’s Head of Contracting Activity, oversaw procurement planning, contract management, and provided project management support. Prior to that role, he was Director of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Infrastructure and Facilities Management. Mr. Surash was selected for the Senior Executive Service in September 2005.

Previously, Mr. Surash served as the Business Development Manager for Johnson Controls Inc. and Chief Business Officer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. He had a 27 year distinguished Navy career, retiring at the rank of Captain from the United States Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps.

Under his leadership, Navy Public Works Center San Diego received the California Eureka Award for Performance Excellence, Vice President Gore’s Hammer Award, and the President’s Quality Award for Quality Improvement For actions during the California electricity crisis, his Navy Region Southwest Regional Energy Team received a Presidential Award for Leadership in Federal Energy Management, and numerous other recognitions including an Energy Leadership Award from the San Diego Regional Energy Office and an Excellence in Energy Award from the San Diego Business Journal. In addition, Mr. Surash was presented the Department of Energy’s Louis R. Harris Award for establishing one of the federal government's first resource efficiency management programs.

Mr. Surash holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester and a Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in energy management, from Texas A&M University. Mr. Surash is a registered Professional Engineer.