So the NEPM Working Group, you know, basically presents annually this Whaley Award to state program managers who have made significant contributions to the earthquake program, especially, you know, around innovation or collaboration, advocacy and mentoring. And CECL, For those of you that, you know, there's a lot of new people here, there's some old-timers quote-unquote that remember him, but Cecil was a long-time program manager for the state of Tennessee. He was very active in the earthquake program in NEHERP, not only in the central U.S., but nationally. He was a very strong advocate for earthquake resilience and planning and so forth.

He 2020. I might add he passed away during a fight with pancreatic cancer. He worked the entire time including up through his last response which was right as COVID was emerging and there was a tornado that struck Middle Tennessee and he was assistant director for preparedness at TEMA and he worked essentially up until the day he passed away.

He went out with his boots on and there's no one more dedicated to emergency management or earthquake, the earthquake program than CECL. And throughout his career he was called into action time and again to support emergency response including numerous catastrophic disasters like Hurricane Andrew, also the Northridge earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, etc. And he was a very dedicated mentor, even to guys like me. When I first came on, my boss told me, get with Cecil, do what he tells you to do, you'll be all right.

And he's also a friend and inspiration to just countless people across the earthquake preparedness and emergency management community. So we select the recipient of the Whaley Award. The criteria is shown there on the screen.

It's got to be a program manager that's been in their seat for at least three years, as well as they've got to have a spirit of collaboration and innovation and advocacy for NEHERP and the earthquake program. And the NEPM committee, if you will, selects the candidate each year. Let me get back over to my slide.

There it is. So past recipients of the Whaley Award include two memorial awards for Cecil himself that was presented to his family in 2021. David Jackson, who passed away also in 2021, he received an award as well.

He was the Idaho at one time program manager, and then later in Texas. Past recipients of the award include the esteemed, very esteemed Althea Rizzo of Oregon. She was the first official award recipient for this award.

And then Bob Carey from Utah, Maximilian Dixon, who I don't think is on today, but he was the 2023 recipient and John Crofts in 2024. And it is my pleasure to say that Scott Galvin was selected as the 2026 Whaley Award recipient for his many numerous and significant contributions to earthquake planning and risk reduction over the last 15 years or so, even back when Scott had hair. So, but, you know, in addition to serving like two terms for the NEPM committee back around 2023, 24 timeframe and hosting the 2024 NEPM meeting in St. Louis, Scott's really been a thought leader and relentless advocate for improving multi-state planning in the central and eastern U.S. for just many years now.

I mean, really embodies the qualities and spirit and ethos behind which we created this Whaley Award. And truly, like there are many ideas that Cecil was a part of or started or led, you know, they brought to life during his career. and it's really great to see Scott, who Cecil was a mentor to Scott as well, but to see Scott helping bring a lot of those through to fruition, just like the regional planning effort that he just briefed on.

So Scott, I know this was a little bit of a surprise for you, and that you don't love surprises. But congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. Your director's aware.

The whole NEPM community congratulates you on this award. Do you have any remarks? Or Pascal, as well, happy to. I'll let Pascal go first. Well, Scott, I was instructed to keep it as a surprise for you. So don't hold account to me the surprising you part. But no, you have done a lot of great work, especially the past couple of years with just scheduling and challenges and trying to get meetings, just keeping us together and poking the bear and getting us to make sure we communicate and make sure we work through projects in whatever challenges where all the agencies and people have been fighting and working through.

So that has been very supportive and appreciative. At the same time, you've always brought good humor and a good mindset to step back from things and look at it from a different perspective. So I appreciate that very much.

And I have my friends in eyes and ears in Illinois who I hear great things about things that are happening in Illinois through other channels. And so I just know that you're doing some great work and it's very appreciative there but also everywhere else in the u.s for seismic but also just the community resiliency and collaboration part so appreciate you very much and uh looking forward to catching up soon in person and uh we'll raise a toast to you then i i i am i am shocked and i don't like being shocked or surprised and this is the second surprise i've had in two days my staff surprised me yesterday and decorated my office unbeknownst to me for my birthday a couple weeks ago and now this so So I am honored. Cecil is a giant in our community, in our space, and in our region, and not just as an emergency manager, but in a specialty of what we do in this threat environment. And, you know, those who know me know I am passionate to a fault, and I don't take no lightly, and I know I ruffle some feathers sometimes, but it's all out of love and admiration for what we do, and serious times call for serious people to take on serious projects.

So I am honored. I really am. I will keep doing the work that needs to be done and shepherding those who come along to do this work and help point them in the right direction.

So I'm very appreciative and very honored. Thank you. Thanks, Scott. We will get you the physical award. I will see you at the end of the month. Yeah, in person. So, again, congratulations. Thank you. Pascal, maybe we could- but yeah, round of applause for Scott Galvin. Very well deserved.