Heidi Shyu of the U.S. Department of Defense and Kay Sears of Boeing are two of the more impressive figures in the government contracting ecosphere. In celebration of their noteworthy careers and instrumental role in shaping the future of the federal landscape, they were both recognized with the 2023 Wash100 Award. GovCon Wire and ExecutiveBiz, the sister publications of ExecutiveGov, spotlighted Shyu and Sears’ work and praiseworthy achievements today.
Now entering its second decade of life, the Wash100 Award is EM’s annual compilation of the best and brightest in government contracting. Recipients of the storied award include game-changing CEOs, four-star generals and industry-leading technology experts, among others. Vetted by a highly discerning review board, they all must exhibit top-shelf leadership, vision, innovation and reliability.
Now that the Wash100 class of 2023 is announced, a race for the audience favorite is underway. Cast 10 votes for your most beloved candidates at Wash100.com now!
Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Shyu was awarded her third total Wash100 — and second consecutive — for her aggressive efforts to accelerate the technology pipeline, setting up task forces and reorganizing her office’s structure to best accommodate an efficient prototype-to-battlefield chain of production.
Shyu wears several hats, acting as the chief technology officer for the entire DOD enterprise and overseeing the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Defense Innovation Unit, the Missile Defense Agency and the DOD Laboratory and Engineering Center. Her skillful juggling of these duties, along with her forward-thinking activities, made her a no-brainer for this year’s prize. Read Shyu’s full profile at GovCon Wire here.
Boeing Vice President and General Manager of the Space, Intelligence and Weapon Systems Sector Sears caught the eye of the EM voting body with her extraordinary government-serving hardware production. She came to Boeing in 2022 after long stints at Lockheed Martin and Intelsat, where she also conducted space business for the U.S. military. It was during her time at Intelsat that Sears won her first Wash100 Award, in 2016.
Learn more about Sears’ career and contributions in her ExecutiveBiz profile here.
The time is now to vote for your favorite Wash100 candidates in the 2023 popular vote contest. Head to Wash100.com today to join in the fun.
