This prestigious annual award was established in 2012 and named in honor of longtime of Special Assistant to the Chief of Civil Engineers and Commander of NAVFAC, Peggy B. Craig. She supported 12 Chiefs and served a total of 48 years as a civil servant. The award recognizes civil servants with 20 years or more of service, who demonstrate exceptional professionalism, are dedicated to the welfare of the organization and their colleagues, as well as having a compassion for the men and women served by NAVFAC and its component commands.

“Mike is a model civil servant, stalwart construction and safety expert for NAVFAC, and extremely deserving of this outstanding recognition,” said Capt. James E. Brown, Commanding Officer, Officer in Charge of Construction (OICC) Florence.

Mr. Guthrie distinguished himself through his selfless leadership and extensive expertise as a Construction Engineering Technician, Supervisory Engineering Technician, and quality/safety assurance subject matter expert (SME) during his four decades of service with NAVFAC. Throughout his career, he consistently delivered superior results to the warfighter all while mentoring his fellow civil servants and building lasting personal bonds.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled for having been nominated and selected for this award,” said Guthrie. “I thank all the supportive and dedicated people that I have been lucky enough to work with through the years.”

Mr. Guthrie is a consummate professional keenly focused on the personal and professional development of his team as well as the command’s overall morale. He has also dedicated his career to developing a culture of safety within NAVFAC by harvesting lessons learned and translating them into practices in the field.

“Early in my career I worked very closely with several WWII Seabee veterans who had a tremendous positive influence on me. They shared their experience and knowledge and regularly suggested that I seek out those around me who were successful and pay attention to them and I would grow and learn something new every day,” he said. "That philosophy stuck with me as I have continued through the years with a strong understanding that by mentoring and helping others I was enhancing NAVFAC’s collective success in support of the defense of our country.”

Guthrie’s efforts have had a positive and enduring impact on the organization. His corporate knowledge of both NAVFAC and operations aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point were invaluable to the initial planning efforts and eventual establishment of OICC Florence’s field office at the air station. As one of ROICC Florence Cherry Point’s first employees, he adeptly exercised his decades of experience and a valuable network of trusted colleagues on the installation and throughout NAVFAC to help lay the keel for the command by recruiting, hiring, and onboarding 16 employees while simultaneously coordinating the efficient transition of nearly $600 million in projects from NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic to OICC Florence.

For 42 years and counting, Mike Guthrie has excelled in delivering first-rate facilities to the warfighter and has helped shape NAVFAC’s safety culture. His continued investment in the growth and development of his staff and peers, and strong sense of servant leadership has been a true hallmark of his noteworthy career.

OICC Florence provides engineering, construction, and acquisition services supporting the Marine Corps’ recovery from Hurricane Florence and deployment of the Joint Strike Fighter, re-establishing the readiness of expeditionary forces for Marine Corps Installation East and II Marine Expeditionary Force.