Department of Commerce Gold Medal

Department of Commerce Gold Medal
Obverse of the Commerce Gold Medal
Awarded by the US Department of Commerce
Country	United States
Type	Medal (Decoration)
Awarded for	Distinguished performance characterized by extraordinary, noble, or prestigious contributions that impact the mission of the Department of Commerce and/or one or more of its operating units, which reflects favorably on the department.[1]
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	1949[2]
Precedence
Next (higher)	Defense Distinguished Service Medal[3]
Equivalent	Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal[3]
Next (lower)	Distinguished Service Medals (Armed Forces)[3]
Related	Department of Commerce Silver Medal Department of Commerce Bronze Medal
Gold Medal service ribbon Gold Medal service ribbon with "O" (Organization) device

The Department of Commerce Gold Medal is the highest honor award of the United States Department of Commerce. Since 1949, the Gold Medal is presented by the Secretary of Commerce for distinguished performance.^[2] The award may be presented to an individual, group, or organization in the Commerce Department for extraordinary, noble, or prestigious contributions that impact the mission of the department and/or one or more operating units, which reflects favorable on the department.^[4]

The annual Department of Commerce Gold Medal Awards ceremony is held each fall at the Ronald Reagan Amphitheater in Washington, D.C.. An Individual and members of a group which is awarded the Gold Medal Award are each presented a framed certificate signed by the Secretary and medal. An organization receiving the award is presented one framed certificate signed by the Secretary and medal.^[5]

Award criteria

The Gold Medal Award is awarded for distinguished performance characterized by extraordinary, noble, or prestigious contributions that impact the mission of the Department of Commerce and/or one or more of its operating units, which reflects favorably on the department.^[6]

To warrant a Gold Medal, a contribution must focus on qualitative and quantitative performance measures reflected in the Department of Commerce's strategic plan and be identified in one of the following areas:^[7]

• Leadership
• Personal and professional excellence
• Scientific/engineering achievement
• Organizational development
• Customer service
• Administrative/technical support or
• Heroism

NOAA Corps Recipients

The NOAA Corps is eligible to send an overall total of 20 Gold and Silver nominations to the Department of Commerce per year.^[8]The Gold Medal is awarded to an individual, group, or Commerce organization for extraordinary achievements in support of the critical objectives of the Department of Commerce with a significant beneficial effect on the Nation or world.^[3]

To warrant the award of the Gold Medal, a contribution to the Commerce Department must meet at least one of the following criteria:^[3]

• Achievement of critical program goals far exceeding expectations, marked by noteworthy creativity, energy, or persistence, contributing significantly to the welfare of the United States.
• Exceedingly outstanding leadership or management that resulting in dramatic improvements to productivity, program effectiveness, or quality of the Department of Commerce's service to the United States.
• Scientific or technological breakthroughs resolving longstanding problems or radically advance the state-of-the-art.
• Highly distinguished authorship or editorship affecting the primary principles of the discipline covered, opening up new fields of inquiry, or redefining major issues of investigation.
• Heroic action involving jeopardy of life.

The NOAA awardees of the Gold Medal Award are presented a medallion by the Commerce Department and the NOAA Commissioned Corps awardees are presented a full sized military style medal, miniature medal, and a full and miniature size service ribbon provided from the Commissioned Personnel Center.^[3] Group or organizational recipients of the Gold Medal are authorized to wear a silver ¹⁄₈ inch "O" device on the full size medal's suspension ribbon and service ribbon.^[3] Each additional award of the Gold Medal is denoted by a ⁵⁄₁₆ inch gold star for the full size medal suspension ribbon and service ribbon and a ¹⁄₈ inch gold star for the miniature medal suspension ribbon.^[3]

Individual and group members also receive a framed certificate signed by the Secretary of Commerce. Members of an organization awarded the Gold Medal each receive the award and the organization receives one framed certificate signed by the Secretary to represent the entire organization.^[9][10]

Notable recipients

People

• Jonathan W. Bailey
• Samuel P. De Bow, Jr.
• Tim Foecke
• John L. Hall
• Don A. Jones
• Lauren S. McCready
• Harley D. Nygren
• Franklin E. Roach
• Paul A. Ziemer

People & organizations

• Vijay Tallapragada and the NOAA HWRF Team

Organizations

• NIST World Trade Center Collapse Investigation Team
• NOAA Center for Tsunami Research
• NOAAS Oregon II (R 332)^[11]

References

1. US Department of Commerce Performance Management Systems Handbook (Recognition Section) Chapter 10, Honor Awards Retrieved February 7, 2015
2. "Honor Awards Program - OHRM". Hr.commerce.gov. 2008-05-01. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
3. "NOAA Corps Directives Part 7 – Awards Chapter 12 Attachment 2" (PDF). NOAA Corps Commissioned Personnel Center website. Retrieved 2 July 2012. External link in |work= (help)
4. US Department of Commerce Performance Management Systems Handbook (Recognition Section) Chapter 10, Honor Awards Retrieved February 7, 2015
5. US Department of Commerce Performance Management Systems Handbook (Recognition Section), Appendix H, Honor Awards - Types of Awards and Recognition Retrieved February 7, 2015
6. US Department of Commerce Performance Management Systems Handbook (Recognition Section) Chapter 10, Honor Awards Retrieved February 7, 2015
7. US Department of Commerce Performance Management Systems Handbook (Recognition Section) Appendix G, Honor Awards Criteria, Gold Medal Retrieved February 7, 2015
8. "NOAA INCENTIVE AWARDS PROGRAM HANDBOOK" (PDF). NOAA. 20 March 2009. p. 3. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
9. "NOAA INCENTIVE AWARDS PROGRAM HANDBOOK" (PDF). NOAA. 20 March 2009. p. 3. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
10. "NOAA Workforce Management Office". Wfm.noaa.gov. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
11. "Department of Commerce Medal Recipients". NOAA Hall of Honor. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Retrieved 8 August 2013. External link in |work= (help)