Person Year 2002

  Pentagon Renovation Manager W. Lee Evey is CMAA’s "Person of the Year"

McLEAN, VIRGINIA - Walker Lee Evey, program manager for the Pentagon’s 20-year renovation program, who led an extraordinary effort to get the devastated facility back on active duty within a year of the September 11 terrorist attacks, has been named “Person of the Year” by the Construction Management Association of America.

Evey returned from a family trip on September 11 to rally his renovation team that night on a helipad outside the still-burning building.  Over the ensuing year, Evey supervised a $740 million effort that involved more than 2.5 million person-hours of labor. The job was complicated by security concerns, by the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and others to gather evidence from the ruins, and by the personal losses many team members had suffered in the attack.

The intensive recovery project was completed in time for “Wedge One” of the Pentagon to be back in operation by the anniversary of the attack. 

“If ever a program manager was challenged to understand a confused situation, chart a clear course, motivate a large number of people and drive a complex project forward, Lee Evey was,” said Blake V. Peck, CCM, president of CMAA.  “All Americans can be proud of this effort, which demonstrated to the world that our nation would not shrink from challenge and adversity."

“I believe our profession can be proud, as well,” Peck added, “because the real value of our skills, knowledge and commitment have never been more vividly demonstrated.”

The award to Evey will be presented on October 15 at the Industry Recognition Dinner that concludes the CMAA National Conference.  The Conference will take place October 13-15 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, California.  In addition to the “Person of the Year,” CMAA will honor 10 projects in different categories with “Project Achievement Awards.”

CMAA is North America\'s only organization dedicated exclusively to the interests of professional program/construction management. Complete information about the association and the National Conference can be found at www.cmaanet.org.