Press Release

Nancy Brown, Kreylon Crewe-Bacon, Scott Kromis, and Carolyn Sue Lee Receive Outstanding Contributions Awards from Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program

June 28, 2004
For immediate release
Contact: Stephanie Lesko
Public Affairs Specialist
Phone: (703) 603-2146
Fax: (703) 603-0655
E-mail: slesko@jwod.gov

Arlington, VA-Four Federal employees were honored by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (the Committee) for their outstanding contributions to the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program. Providing jobs to more than 45,000 people who are blind or have other severe disabilities, the JWOD Program is the single largest source of employment for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States. The Outstanding Contributions Award recognizes Federal employees for their efforts in creating employment opportunities on Federal contracts for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities under the auspices of the JWOD Program.

The recipients included: Nancy Brown, Kreylon Crewe-Bacon, Scott Kromis, and Carolyn Sue Lee.

"These four individuals are worthy recipients of this award. By creating steady, essential job opportunities for people who are blind or severely disabled, they allowed the JWOD Program to demonstrate that it is a critical part of the U.S. military industrial base, providing support to the warfighters and international relief through the provision of products and services, " said Steve Schwalb, Committee Chairperson.

During Fiscal Year 2004, the JWOD Program provided a record number of jobs and a significant increase in the wages earned by JWOD employees. These achievements are a direct result of the dedication and commitment of people such as this year's Outstanding Contributions Award recipients.

Nancy Brown is the Chief, Contracts Division, Army Contracting Agency at Fort Hood. Ms. Brown believes that JWOD Program employees provide critical, real-time mission support to our nation's Warfighters. Over the past 15 years, she has created more than 500 jobs for people with severe disabilities through the JWOD Program in such contracts as Installation Food Services, Airfield Alert Services, Washer/Dryer Maintenance, Grounds Maintenance, and Warehousing.

Kreylon Crewe-Bacon is a Supervisory Contract Specialist and the Integrated Supplier Team Leader for Batteries at the Defense Supply Center Richmond. Over the past 24 years she has created 50 job opportunities for the JWOD Program on such products as the scissors jack, and terminal lugs, which are used in more than 140 different weapon systems, and with such services as the warehousing and distribution of various batteries.

Scott Kromis is a Contracting Officer at the Recruit Clothing and Textiles Directorate, Accessories Team at the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia. Over the past 12 years, Mr. Kromis has created jobs for 400 JWOD employees on such products as the new Army Improved Physical Fitness Uniform, the new Air Force Physical Training Uniform, and accessory items; as well as such services as the warehousing and distribution of recruitment clothing items throughout eight states.

Carolyn Sue Lee is a Team Leader, 2nd Contracting Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base. Over the past 15 years, she has created employment for nearly 70 people who are blind or have other severe disabilities through such service contracts as postal services, commissary shelf stocking, and laundry services.

The Outstanding Contributions Awards were presented at the NISH 2005 National Training and Achievement Conference held May 22-24, 2005, in New Orleans, LA.

The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled is the independent Federal agency that administers the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program, which creates employment opportunities for persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the manufacture and delivery of products and services to the Federal Government Nearly 70 percent of people with disabilities are not employed. The JWOD Program was created by Congress to help alleviate this employment inequity and has become the single largest employer of Americans who are blind or have other severe disabilities, by identifying Federal contract work to be performed by these individuals.

NISH, which serves people with a range of disabilities, is one of the two national, nonprofit organizations designated by the Committee to assist in the implementation of the JWOD Program. Together with National Industries for the Blind, these two agencies provide assistance to more than 600 community-based nonprofit agencies participating nationwide in the JWOD Program.