Washington, DC - U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Linda M. Springer today convened a 15-member panel from across the State of Texas to consider nominations for the 2008 Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive and Senior Professional. The review panel is composed of distinguished business executives, educators, and civic and community leaders.

"These private citizens will play an important role in ensuring those who exemplify the highest level of excellence in Federal civil service receive appropriate consideration for this unique recognition," said Springer.

The Presidential Rank Award is the highest professional honor for career Senior Executive Service (SES) members and senior career employees. The work of the panel is to review the accomplishments of nominees - career SES and senior level career employees who have a sustained record of exceptional professional, technical, and/or scientific achievement.

The evaluation criteria include the ability to lead change and people, being results driven, having business acumen, with the ability to build coalitions/communications, and having stature in a professional field. Awardees receive a cash award of 20 percent of their base salary. Up to five percent of the career SES and senior level career community may receive this rank.

This panel is the first of four slated to meet to consider nominees for the 2008 Meritorious 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 2008 Presidential Rank Award Meritorious Review Board for the Austin area are:

Danya Biggs, Retired, Civic and Charitable Organization Leader, Austin, TX

Barbara Dorff, Consultant, Educational Service Center, Richardson, TX

Janie Douglass, Vice President, Capstone Real Estate, Austin, TX

Leonard Rodriguez, Corporate Political Strategies, LLC, Houston, TX

Shirley Moore Green, Retired Federal and State Communications Specialist, Austin, TX

Daniel Hodge, Chief of Staff, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, Austin, TX

Casey Hoffman, Exec. First Assistant, TX Dept. of Information Resources, Austin, TX

Maxine Hoffman, Retired Teacher, Austin, TX

Beri Milburn, Retired, International Trade in Agribusiness/ Small Business, Austin, TX

Bill Noble, President, Noble Strategic Partners, Inc., Austin, Texas

Rolando Pablos, Attorney, Monty Partners, LLP, Houston, TX

Samuel Parker, Executive Director, UBS Financial Services, Inc., Austin, TX

David Smith, Attorney, Barrett and Smith, PLLC, Austin, TX

Polly Sowell, Retired, State of Texas, Office of the Governor, Austin, TX

Liz Tait, President, Austin Republican Woman, Austin, TX