Satellite Industry Association Announces Three Leadership in Government Award Recipients

Washington, D.C., March 23, 2022 – The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) announced three recipients of the Association’s Leadership in Government award at this year’s Leadership Dinner, which was held earlier this week in Washington, DC. Because SIA was not able to hold its Leadership Dinner in both 2020 and 2021, the Association recognized the Award recipients for each of those years as well as for 2022.

2022 Leadership in Government Award Recipient – Congressman Mike Rogers

SIA President Tom Stroup presented the 2022 Satellite Leadership in Government Award to Representative Mike Rogers (AL-03). The Award recognizes Congressman Rogers for his key role championing the creation of the United States Space Force (USSF), the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Congressman Rogers was first elected in 2002, as the Representative for Alabama’s Third Congressional District. He currently serves as the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee and previously served as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security in the 116th Congress. The congressman was also a member of the Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee which has jurisdiction over military readiness, maintenance and logistics, and the Strategic Forces subcommittee, which he served as Chairman of for six years. The Subcommittee deals with missile defense and nuclear weapons issues.

With over 300 aerospace companies located in Alabama and being a strong proponent of the formation of a separate space service branch, in 2017, Rep. Rogers joined Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) to propose a separate military service responsible for national security space programs for which the Air Force, at that time, was responsible. On Dec 20^th of 2019, the USSF was established when the National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law (with bi-partisan support), creating the first new branch of the armed services in 73 years. The establishment of the USSF resulted from widespread recognition that Space was a national security imperative.

“SIA is pleased to announce Congressman Rogers as this year’s Leadership in Government Award recipient for his years of tireless work championing the formation of the U.S. Space Force,” said Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association. “In 2017, after initially proposing the formation of the Space Corps, Congressman Rogers discussed the growing importance of satellites and the critical services they provided and increasingly provide. It was becoming apparent the space-based assets that provide those services must be protected, and the best way to make this happen was to form a separate branch of the service that prioritized space. To this end, SIA thanks him for his commitment to improving the United States’ posture in the space domain, for ensuring our country is prepared to confront future challenges and opportunities in space and for his support of the commercial satellite industry.”

2021 Leadership in Government Award Recipient – Kenneth Turner

SIA President Tom Stroup presented the 2021 Satellite Leadership in Government Award to Kenneth Turner. The Award recognizes Mr. Turner’s development and oversight of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) spectrum policy and strategic plans to ensure the efficient and effective use of radio spectrum.

Kenneth Turner recently retired from his role as Deputy Director, Spectrum Policy and Programs, Department of Defense, Chief Information Office (CIO) where he supported the development of DoD spectrum policy and advised the Department on domestic and international regulatory matters.  He also served in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (OASD C3I).

Earlier, Mr. Turner served as an electronics engineer in several Air Force space intelligence positions and as a technical expert to the DoD and Department of State regarding international satellite regulatory policy.  Mr. Turner began his civil service career at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as an electronic engineer in the Aeronautical Systems Center, Engineering Avionics Division. He served as the communications, navigation, identification, and antenna lead project engineer on the F-15 and F-22 programs.

“SIA is pleased to honor Ken Turner for his leadership on spectrum and space issues within the Department of Defense,” said Tom Stroup. “His efforts to incorporate innovations made by commercial satellite companies significantly upgraded our military missions.”

2020 Leadership in Government Award Recipient – Cecily Holiday

SIA President Tom Stroup presented the 2020 Satellite Leadership in Government Award to Cecily Holiday.   The award recognizes the distinguished career of Ms. Holiday in government and public service and her work with both the United States Department of State (State Department) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Cecily Holiday retired from the State Department after serving as the Deputy Director, Office of Bilateral and Regional Affairs, where she was responsible to the Director for the Office of Bilateral and Regional Affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.  The Office focuses on targeted bilateral-objectives divided by region and works directly with foreign governments to promote fair, market friendly digital economy policies for topics including 5G related events.  Prior to joining the Office of Bilateral and Regional Affairs, Ms. Holiday was Deputy Director, Multilateral Affairs, Office of International Communication and Information Policy, Cyber and International Communications and Information Policy (CIP).  She was also part of the U.S. delegation for several ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC) including WRC-19 where she served as a delegate.

Prior to joining the State Department as a Foreign Affairs Officer in 2001, Ms. Holiday was Deputy Chief, Satellite and Radiocommunications Division for the International Bureau at the FCC.  From 1986-1994, she served as Chief of the Satellite Radio Branch for the FCC’s Common Carrier Bureau where she created a new regulatory environment for the commercial satellite industry. Before joining the FCC, Ms. Holiday served with the U.S. Army Security Agency in West Berlin as a Russian Linguist for the Army Security Agency where she helped advance U.S. intelligence objectives.

“SIA is very pleased to honor Cecily Holiday for her four decades of public service with both the State Department and FCC,” said Mr. Stroup.  “Over her distinguished career, Ms. Holiday has helped reform the regulatory and licensing environment for satellites.  This helped lay the foundation that spawned what has become today’s robust domestic commercial satellite industry.  She accomplished this while also successfully advocating for America’s communications and global spectrum allocation goals both here at home before lawmakers and regulators and on the international stage in front of organizations such as the ITU.  On behalf of the Satellite Industry Association and its members, it is my great honor to finally be able recognize and award Cecily Holiday with the 2020 Satellite Industry Leadership Award recipient.”

SIA’s Satellite Leadership in Government Award is traditionally presented to a current or former government official or member of Congress who has demonstrated long-term leadership and dedication to public service on issues affecting the satellite industry and has served as an example to others in government.  The Award has been awarded to fifteen previous recipients, including NSC’s Dr. Scott Pace (2019), FCC’s Jose Albuquerque (2018), FCC OET Chief Julius Knapp (2017), General John W. Raymond (2016), Karl Nebbia for his work with the NTIA (2015), Richard Beaird of the State Department (2013), Brian Nilsson of the White House National Security Staff (2012), Rural Utilities Service Administrator Jonathan Adelstein (2011); Major General Ellen Pawlikowski (2010); General James Cartwright and Mr. Richard Russell, Ambassador to the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (2008); Representative Ellen Tauscher and Maj. Gen. James B. Armor Jr. (2007); Senator Ted Stevens (2006); and Admiral James O. Ellis Jr. and Tom Tycz, Federal Communications Commission (2005).

About The Satellite Industry Association

SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. For more than two decades, SIA has advocated on behalf of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more information, visit www.sia.org.

SIA Executive Members include: Amazon; The Boeing Company; DIRECTV; EchoStar Corporation; HawkEye 360; Intelsat S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; Kratos Defense & Security Solutions; Ligado Networks; Lockheed Martin Corporation; OneWeb; Planet; SES Americom, Inc.; Space Exploration Technologies Corp.; Spire Global Inc.; and Viasat Inc. SIA Associate Members include: ABS US Corp.; The Aerospace Corporation; Amazon Web Services; Artel, LLC; AST & Science; Astranis Space Technologies Corp.; Blue Origin; Comtech; Eutelsat America Corp.; ExoAnalytic Solutions; Hughes; Inmarsat, Inc.; Kymeta Corporation; Leonardo DRS; Lynk; Omnispace; OneWeb Technologies; Ovzon; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Peraton; SpaceLink; Telesat Canada; ULA; UltiSat and XTAR, LLC. SIA Affiliate Members include: ARA; Aurora Insight; COMSAT; Davis Wright Tremaine; Envistacom, LLC; Genus Group; Hogan Lovells; Integrasys LLC, Kaman Precision Products; Kencast; Keysight Technologies, Inc.; Media Broadcast Satellite; Orange Business Services; Plexus Corp; Sheppard Mullin; Skylo Technologies and Wiley