LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
DearAcademyCommunity,
Thekeynotespeakerforthe’64LeadershipWorkshop,LtCol.KevinBasik,USAF,provided
themetaphorofaSherpa:one“whohasexperienceandagiftforhelpingpeopleelevateon
theclimb.”Theyareworkhorseswhopre-positionequipment,layoutsafetylinesandpoint
outhazards.Theyhavetraveledthisroadandhavetoolstohelpatraveleralongtheway.
TheSherpaisonthemountainwiththemstepbystepwherethesnowisjustascold,and
thewindhurtsjustasmuch.InfacttheSherpacarriesextrasuppliesforthetravelerto
makethejourneyabiteasierforthenewcomerattheirownincreasedburden.Atsome
point,theSherpastopsandpointsthetravelertothesummitandsays“goaheadonyour
own–youcandothis;I’llbewaitingherewhenyougetback.”
Foreightyears,theSpiritoftheBearAwardshaverecognizedextraordinaryeffortsinthe
personalandprofessionaldevelopmentofcadetsacrossmultipledomains.Thisyear,the
CorpsofCadetsandtheAcademyCommunitysubmitted277nominationstorecognizetheir
personalSherpawhosereallessonislivingwhat“right”lookslike.In2016,weareproudto
recognizetheseexemplars:
• Dr.RonAdrezin(MechanicalEngineering)
• Dr.TooranEmami(ElectricalEngineering)
• Mr.TimFill(Mathematics)
• CDRCorinnaFleischmann(CivilEngineering)
• CPONickRago(HotelCompanyChief)
• Mr.HappRocketto(PistolCoach)
Additionally,basedoninputfromtheCorpsofCadets,theAcademy’sFoodServices
Contractor,Aramark,recognizedoneindividualwithanExtraordinaryContributionAward:
• Ms.JacquelinBonneau
Itisnottheclasses,thesorties,northecompetitionsthatcreatetheLeaderofCharacter,it
iswhoweareandhowwestayonthetrailwithcadetsastheysummitthe200Weeks.Lt
ColBasikclosedwiththeRudyardKiplingpoem“Noprintedword,norspokenplea,can
teachyoungmindswhattheyshouldbe.Notallthebooksonalltheshelves–butwhatthe
teachersarethemselves.”PleasejoinourSuperintendent,RADMJimRendon,our
RegimentalCommander1/CMattDevlinandthealwaysObjectionablePresence,Objeethe
Bear,inrecognizingandcongratulatingourcolleaguesforModelingtheWayandEnabling
Otherstothe200WeekSummit.
//s//
CDRJonHeller,USCG(ret)CGA‘89
Director,AdmiralJamesM.LoyInstituteforLeadership
Watchtheeventagainat:https://livestream.com/CGA/spiritofthebear
January5,2016
LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
Dr.RonAdrezin
MechanicalEngineering
Dr. Ron Adrezin has had a huge impact on almost every person he has interacted
with over the course of his nine-year tenure at the CGA. Whether you are a current cadet,
alumnus, aspiring astronaut or faculty member in his department, he has undoubtedly
gone out of his way to help you succeed and has played a large role in your development.
As a sponsor parent to over 10 cadets, he and his family have truly embraced what it
means to be a CGA family and they routinely go out of their way to help cadets,
including bringing dinner when there wasn’t enough liberty time for cadets to visit their
home. In addition to helping current cadets, he is a mentor and trusted resource to
numerous junior officers in the fleet, many of whom wrote recommendations for him for
this award. His strong dedication to his students, fellow faculty members, and recent
graduates make Dr. Ron Adrezin, or “Dr. A” as he goes by, so deserving of the Spirit of
the Bear Award.
January5,2016
LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
Dr.TooranEmami
ElectricalEngineering
Dr. Tooran Emami of the Electrical Engineering Department has been categorized
as the “nicest lady I have ever met” and “the fastest grader I’ve ever seen.” She always
goes out of her way to ensure that cadets understand the material and know that she cares.
It is not uncommon for her to spend extra hours after the workday, starting at CAAP
session at 2030 after ops spotlights and not securing it until 2300 when all her students
understand the material. In addition to her work in the classroom, her journey to working
at the CGA is an inspiration to all her students and they couldn’t think of a more fitting
award than to recognize her with the 2016 Spirit of the Bear Award.
January5,2016
LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
Mr.TimFill
Mathematics
Mr. Tim Fill truly embodies what it means to live and breathe the Coast Guard
Academy. If you are walking around the CGA on a weekend, you will most likely see
him at every sporting event going on that day, supporting the cadets he teaches as well as
those he has never met before. Every once in a while you may even see him tutoring a
cadet or two in calculus up in the stands because they didn’t quite get the topic even after
the multiple review sessions he holds during the week. He is a great teacher in the
mathematics department, a great role model, and a dedicated member of the faculty who
is also willing to go the extra mile to help cadets, even if it means staying until 2200 for
review sessions numerous nights a week. We’re happy to recognize Mr. Tim Fill as one
of the Spirit of the Bear award winners this year.
January5,2016
LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
CDRCorinnaFleischmann
CivilEngineering
CDR Corinna Fleischmann has been categorized as one of the most positive
people at the CGA that always puts a smile on her cadets’ faces when they are feeling
down. She routinely takes time out of her day to help cadets, whether they are in need of
a Coast Guard story, personal advice, or just can’t quite figure out their Civil Engineering
homework. Whether you are an engineer or not, CDR Fleischmann will routinely go out
of her way to make you feel welcomed in Mac Hall and it very rare that you leave a
conversation with her without a big smile on your face. She is the type of person that
truly brightens your day and will always go out of her way to lend a helping hand or
poised advice.
January5,2016
LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
CPONickRago
HotelCompanyChief
CPO Nick Rago is known for being one of the most positive people in c-division,
going out of his way routinely to interact with cadets and make them feel valued and
important in Chase Hall. Whether he is joking around with you in the p-way, counseling
you in his office, or getting roughed up on the ice by the hockey team, he is one of the
most positive, generous, and enthusiastic individuals you will ever meet. He has made a
huge difference in the lives of everyone at the Academy and there couldn’t be a better
time to honor him and thank him for his hard work than now, as he will be retiring from
the Coast Guard after twenty years of service this year. Chief Rago was joined and
surprised by his wife, Andrea, and children, Dominic and Matteo (pictured here).
January5,2016
LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
Mr.HappRocketto
PistolCoach
Mr. Happ Rocketto is a volunteer coach who has dedicated his time from 16001830 every weekday for the last four years. He is an amazing coach but, more
importantly, an amazing mentor, role model and person. Whether he is opening his home
to cadets for the holidays, making goodie bags to get them through exams, or pushing his
athletes to be the best they can be, he is always doing it with a positive attitude and a
smile on his face. As a prior military member, he imparts more than just coaching and life
advice on the cadets, and does it in a way that gets them to see the bright side. He is truly
an inspirational person and coach, and while his athletes feel that he is deserving of so
much more recognition for what he does, they feel that honoring assistant rifle coach
Happ Rocketto with the 2016 Spirit of the Bear Award is a small token of their
appreciation!
January5,2016
LoyInstituteforLeadership
2016SpiritoftheBearand
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAwards
Ms.JacquelinBonneau
AramarkExtraordinaryContributionAward
WardroomServer
AsmuchaswecanwriteaboutMs.JacquelinBonneau’srecognition,itisbetterto
quotethecadetswhoaresoappreciativeofallthatshedoes.Shealwayshasasmileonher
faceand“istheabsolutecheeriestinthewardroom.”Shetreatseveryonewithrespect,hasa
friendlydemeanor,andisalwaysinteractingwithcadets,creatingacomfortableandfun
diningatmosphere.Anytimeyouareinthewardroomandyouhear“Heythere,hun,how
youdoing?”youknowthatitisJackieimmediately.Anothercadetsaid,“Sheisaslovelyas
sheisfunny,andwewouldbesorelymistakenifweletherhardworkanddedicationtothis
serviceacademygounnoticed.”LetusalljoininonthepraiseandcelebrateJackieforall
thatshehasdoneforourcadetsandourcommunity!
January5,2016