LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Four employees of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) were honored with 2006 National Women of Color Awards, recognizing their superior achievements in technology, engineering and science, and community leadership.
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-- Stacie Suggs, lead hardware test equipment engineer at the Space
Technology sector in Redondo Beach, Calif., received the Community
Service Award.
-- Sandra Price, a system software developer for the Information
Technology sector in Huntsville, Ala., received a Special
Recognition Award for technical innovation.
-- Contina Benn, a program specialist, and systems engineer Vesmiene
Ceasor, both working at the Ship Systems sector facility in
Pascagoula, Miss., each were presented Rising Star awards.
For more than 10 years, the National Women of Color Technology Awards and Conference, a Baltimore-based initiative of publisher Career Communications Group, has recognized the accomplishments of minority women leaders in the fields of technology, engineering and science, and awards those who are making outstanding contributions in their field.
Suggs received the Community Service Award for her outstanding contributions not only to her field, but also to the community. Active from a very young age, Suggs' commitment to increasing the number of women and people of color pursuing studies in math and science has led to numerous national, regional and local leadership roles within the National Society of Black Engineers and the Society of Women engineers, often concurrently. She has led initiatives resulting in record membership and retention numbers and increased the visibility of the organizations dramatically.
Suggs earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago and a master's degree in business administration from California State University, Long Beach. She is also working towards achieving her Laureate Certificate in Poetry from the International Library of Poetry.
Price received special recognition for her 16 years of professional experience and exemplary performance in the area of database development and maintenance. At Northrop Grumman, she has supported a number of critical software engineering applications that are deployed to U.S. troops in the battlefield.
Price earned bachelor's degrees in management information systems and technical communications from the University of Alabama, Huntsville.
Contina Benn and Vesmiene Ceasor were each awarded Rising Star awards. Benn received the award for her personal drive and initiative in organizing the Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers and serving as the chapter's first president. She has been instrumental in establishing this chapter that serves the Gulf Coast facilities of Northrop Grumman in Pascagoula and Gulfport, Miss., and New Orleans. It should be noted that Benn's efforts to establish the chapter were concurrent with repairing major damage at her home after Hurricane Katrina.
Benn earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla.
Ceasor was honored for her excellent performance in controlling the environmental design of the DDG 1000 program systems. She is responsible for the effort in the program's hazardous material management database, an innovative tool designed to eliminate/minimize hazardous materials in DDG 1000 processes and products.
Ceasor earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Southern University A&M, in Baton Rouge, La.
Suggs, Price, Benn and Ceasor will be honored during the 2006 National Women of Color Technology Awards Conference, October 19-21, at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With more than 120,000 employees and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.
