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Mississippi River Commission president presents inaugural Sam E. Angel Partnership Award

Memphis District employee receives inaugural award

USACE
Published Oct. 3, 2024
Photo of group standing with award recipient

During the 249th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division Awards Day, Memphis District’s Danny Ward received the inaugural Sam E. Angel Partnership Award. The award is named after Sam E. Angel, the longest serving member of the Mississippi River Commission. Ward is surrounded by Angel’s children and Stephen Gambrell who received the Distinguished Civilian Employee Award. Gambrell is the former director of the Mississippi River Commission.

Like the Mississippi River's lasting impact on the nation, so is the legacy of Sam E. Angel, which was evidenced with the presentation of the inaugural Sam E. Angel Partnership Award, Oct. 3, at Mississippi Valley Division’s employee awards ceremony.

Memphis District’s Danny Ward received the award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Mississippi River Commission and the Mississippi Valley Division.

Mississippi River Commission president, Major General Kimberly A. Peeples, presented the award at the annual ceremony, which recognizes employees for superior service and length of service.

Named in honor of former commissioner Honorable Sam E. Angel, the award recognizes Mississippi Valley Division or its district employees who sustained superior dedication to working with local partners towards the prosecution of the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) project or any Corps of Engineers project along the Mississippi River.

Angel who served 40 years on the commission, participated in more than 80 MRC inspection trips, hundreds of public hearings and heard thousands of testimonies from local partners. The relationships he built and the earned trusts with local partners, contributed greatly to the completion of the MR&T project and enhanced the reputation of MRC and MVD.

Angel’s children attended the ceremony and were honored to have an award named for their father.

“Dad took his job as a member of the Mississippi River Commission very seriously and loved nothing more than going on the high and low water trips each year to hear concerns of the partners in the area,” said Sarah Angel Lawrence, Angel’s daughter. “The Corps could not have created a better award in our father’s memory,” she said.

Mississippi River Commission’s executive director Chuck Camillo is the brainchild behind the creation of the Angel Award. Camillo says the MRC wanted to honor Angel, the longest serving commissioner in the storied history of the commission, for his dedication and contributions to the river and the surrounding communities.

Camillo says the intent behind the award is to inspire the continuation of intergenerational commitment to partnership to ensure future generations are motivated to continue the legacy of environmental stewardship for the Mississippi River.

“The MRC’s foundation, its mission rests on trust and relationship with our partners… the local people,” Camillo said.

Ward, the first recipient of the award is Memphis District’s chief of project management. Through his service, he fostered trust among project partners, Congressional delegations, and other stakeholders.

“I am thrilled and honored to have my name associated with your father’s name,” Ward said to Angel’s children. Angel, Ward said, “Had a knack for getting things done. He turned local issues into national issues. We got things figured out.”

Camillo said Angel loved being a member of the commission and loved serving the people in the valley. And we don’t want to lose the connection with the people as we are public servants.

Sam Angel, Jr. said he was influenced by his father to be a public servant.

“We all feel and see the importance of public service- it takes all types of people to make up the public service arena, but most of it all takes the ability to see all aspects and make a decision best for all.”

Headquartered in Vicksburg, Miss., the Mississippi River Commission was established by Congress in 1879, with the mission to develop plans to improve the condition of the Mississippi River, foster navigation, promote commerce, and prevent destructive floods.