WIESBADEN, Germany – An engineer with Set up Administration Command-Europe’s G4 Directorate right here was just lately chosen as a recipient of the command’s most prestigious award.
Stefanie Poulsen, crew lead for utilities procurement, was certainly one of 18 folks acknowledged from garrisons worldwide with the 2024 IMCOM Stalwart Award.
“Stefanie epitomizes the values and traits of an IMCOM Stalwart,” mentioned IMCOM-E Director Tommy Mize. “She is a really distinctive skilled who demonstrates the utmost dedication to IMCOM’s mission. Stefanie repeatedly goes above and past to make impactful contributions and evokes her crew and her friends to do the identical.”
The Stalwart Award honors those that distinguish themselves by excellent efficiency to allow the command’s success and exceed the decision of responsibility to attain Military and IMCOM targets. It’s the highest honor bestowed on civilians working in IMCOM who promote the readiness and resilience of individuals and installations.
Because the utilities procurement crew lead, Poulsen helps garrisons throughout Europe with all elements of utility contracting to make sure sustained supply of important companies. On this function, she has recognized or carried out quite a few cost-saving measures, regulatory adjustments, and revolutionary technological or monetary options that drive the command ahead in engaging in its mission. Because of her discovery that the U.S. Authorities is exempt from sure German surcharges in gasoline and district warmth contracts, the Military now saves over €2,000,000 per 12 months in surcharge charges.
Her tasks embrace advising and supporting garrisons in establishing new utilities contracts or contract modifications; in negotiating with suppliers when large-scale capital enchancment efforts have to be carried out or price constructions require revision; and in implementing power safety and host-nation objectives for decarbonization.
“Above all, nonetheless, Stefanie has excelled at main, motivating, and empowering her crew,” mentioned her supervisor Emily Babbitt de Nicasio, chief of the Power, Surroundings, and Utilities Department. “As a crew chief, she contributes to IMCOM’s mission not solely by means of her personal nice work, however by means of the event and inspiration of her crew members.”
Below her management, IMCOM-E ensures the supply of contracted utilities in help of over 180,000 folks, to incorporate electrical energy, district warmth, pure gasoline, water provide, wastewater, and refuse. Her supervisor famous that whereas steady utility service supply is important to the security and luxury of the complete supported inhabitants, it’s particularly essential to sustaining the warfighting missions of two U.S. Combatant Instructions.
“Probably the most difficult facet of my job is the truth that utilities provide isn’t solely provision of a cable and energy flows,” mentioned Poulsen, a North Rhine Westphalia native born in Münster, who has been with IMCOM-E since 2018. “It’s the altering surroundings that requires reexamining utilities provide contracts and implementing elements resembling power safety, decarbonization and onsite energy manufacturing.”
Whereas she has been with IMCOM-E for the previous seven years, she has labored for the U.S. authorities since 2002, with positions on the Protection Logistics Company, Military and Air Pressure Change Service, and U.S. Military Garrison Wiesbaden.
“With IMCOM-Europe I’ve the privilege to get to see totally different garrisons, find out about their challenges and get a broader view of various approaches in utilities procurement,” she mentioned. “Establishing a brand new utilities contract can vary from easy water provide to advanced privatization contracts with large-scale power transformation initiatives. It may be a difficult course of to renegotiate all elements of a fancy contract, it generally takes years, however this can be very rewarding as we cross the end line.”
Poulsen exemplifies all of the rules of IMCOM’s Service Tradition Marketing campaign, mentioned Babbitt de Nicasio. “She offers excellent service with superior integrity and work ethic, has nice initiative, demonstrates a transparent and strategic imaginative and prescient, communicates clearly, empowers her crew, and is all the time courteous and respectful of others.”
Along with Poulsen, Tim Volk, who retired from service with IMCOM-Europe G-9 in 2024, was named a Stalwart Award winner. The opposite IMCOM-E recipients have been: Sonia Paoloni and Thomas Raffaello (USAG Italy), Michael Engen (USAG Ansbach), and Christine Quijote-Oaks (USAG Benelux).