Orlando, Fla. (November 25, 2009) - Mr. Robert Reyenga of the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation was appointed to the Senior Executive Service Nov. 8, 2009. With the appointment, he also assumed the duties of the deputy program executive officer for PEO STRI.

PEO STRI hosted a ceremony celebrating Reyenga's appointment to SES Nov. 24, on their military installation in Warfighter Park. Local military leaders and senior representatives from the Orlando-based simulation industry attended the event.

In his new role, Reyenga reports directly to Dr. Jim Blake, the program executive officer, and serves as the second-in-charge at PEO STRI. The military deputy program executive officer, Col. Ken Wheeler, remains in his position and will oversee the program management function of the organization.

"As we continued to grow our business and our workforce, we found it prudent to add a senior member to our leadership team," Blake said. "The best way to accomplish this task was to bring an SES on-board."

"I can't think of a better person to fill this role for our PEO than Rob [Reyenga]. He lives the 'Mission First, People Always' ethos that makes PEO STRI such a magnificent place to work as we serve our Nation," Blake continued.

The Senior Executive Service is a pay-grade in civil service analogous to the ranks of general in the Army. Members of the SES fill key positions just below the top presidential appointees and serve as the link between the presidential appointees and the rest of the federal workforce.

The Office of Personnel Management oversees the executive personnel program. According to their website, "the Senior Executive Service consists of the men and women charged with leading the continuing transformation of government. These leaders possess well-honed executive skills and share a broad perspective of government and a public service commitment which is grounded in the Constitution."

Reyenga's distinguished military and civilian careers make him well-suited to take on the role as an SES.

Before his appointment to SES, Reyenga served as PEO STRI's business operations executive. In this role, he was responsible for acquisition reporting to the Army Acquisition Executive and offered leadership to the organization's project managers.

"Rob's forte is leading people," Blake said. His leadership led to the establishment of corporate-style business models to manage complex issues associated with manpower resources, compensation strategies, acquisition program baselines and life-cycle management plans.

One of his greatest contributions to the organization as the business operations executive was managing the organization's insourcing effort. In order to develop and execute a strategic approach to transitioning contracted positions to government positions, Reyenga used the Manpower Review Group to address the challenges associated with insourcing.

"Rob's forte is leading people," Blake said. His leadership led to the establishment of corporate-style business models to manage complex issues associated with manpower resources, compensation strategies, acquisition program baselines and life-cycle management plans.

One of his greatest contributions to the organization as the business operations executive was managing the organization's insourcing effort. In order to develop and execute a strategic approach to transitioning contracted positions to government positions, Reyenga used the Manpower Review Group to address the challenges associated with insourcing.

"Due to Rob's leadership in the insourcing effort, PEO STRI developed a three-year plan to restructure the workforce," Blake said.

Reyenga also served as the program sponsor for the Army Materiel Enterprise Human Capital Management Project, which set-out to establish equity in compensation and to develop an award and bonus model.

"He led the project team through frank discussions on inconsistencies in employee compensation practices," Blake said. "This is not any easy task. Developing a unified compensation strategy had not resulted in measurable change in the past."

Despite the previous failed attempts, Reyenga coordinated an integrated, equitable and consistent compensation strategy.

In addition, Reyenga developed Geographic Compensation Review Teams to create a more effective rewards program based on geographic considerations; for example, the local workforce demographics, economic factors and recruiting issues.

"Rob consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation and risk-taking in dealing with the continuous challenges associated with managing manpower assets and demands," Blake summarized about Reyenga's role as the business operations executive.

Prior to his civilian service, he served 26 years on active duty with the U.S. Army. In May 1978, he graduated from the University of Louisiana (Monroe) and was designated a distinguished military graduate in the Reserve Officer Training Program.

Reyenga was commissioned as a field artillery officer. From 1978 to 1981, he served as the fire support officer, fire direction officer and battery executive officer during a tour with the 193rd Infantry Brigade in the Republic of Panama. Following his tour in Panama, he was assigned to the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and served as the battery commander and battalion operations officer of the 3rd Battalion, 19th Field Artillery.

In 1987, he joined the faculty of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point having just received a master's degree from the University of Miami. While at West Point, he held a research position and taught a capstone course in computer science.

In his next assignment, Reyenga directed the development of command and control systems in the Army's first battle lab at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. While assigned to the battle lab, he deployed to Southwest Asia in support of the 7th Corps during Operation Desert Storm.

Reyenga completed his active duty assignments as the project manager for Training Devices at PEO STRI. While serving as the officer in charge, he was responsible for providing training enablers to commanders to train their units and Soldiers. He retired as a colonel in May 2004.

He is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College, the Defense Systems Management College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Parachutist Badge and Kuwaiti Liberation Medal.

Reyenga, one of the federal government's newest SES members, joins a corps that was created under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. Under the Act, the government vested more authority into each of its reporting agencies by making an SES responsible for his or her organization's performance. Thus, the federal government became more efficient and flexible by entrusting an SES to make decisions on behalf of the government for his or her respective agency.