From the very earliest days of SBIR, the program has had the quite remarkable characteristic of being managed by agency personnel who have almost invariably gone way beyond their professional job descriptions to demonstrate a strong personal commitment to, and involvement in, the effort. Critically, that has often also occurred in federal departments and agencies where the program has been by no means popular among senior management or even among other colleagues. More than a few career-threatening decisions have been made by SBIR Program Managers and technical support personnel through the years - fortunately, not usually fatally, but certainly often drawing the wrath and the ire of that manager's superiors. Being an advocate for the SBIR program and for the small firms it supports has not always been the most comfortable place to be.

Interestingly, from the first year of the Tibbetts Awards it was apparent that that commitment by federal people has not gone un-noticed by the small firms who have often been the beneficiary of those efforts. Far more nominations of federal personnel were received than could be accommodated. However, we did try to ensure that all nominees, whether selected by the judges or not, were made aware of their nominations. As they say about the Oscars --- it is an honor just to have been nominated! Perhaps it is even more pleasant to feel that your efforts are appreciated.

In 1997, FOUR Tibbetts Awards were made to federal personnel.

• Donald F. Carey, SBIR Program Manager
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC (1997)
  
  
• Dr. George Kovatch, US Department of Transportation (DOT),
  Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Cambridge, MA (1997)
  
  
• James Smerchansky, PEO SUB,
  Naval Sea Systems Command Arlington, VA (1997)
  
  
• R. Jill Dickman, Program Manager AF SBIR/STTR Program AFRL/XPXP
  Wright Patterson AFB, OH (1997)