4 CDC execs get healthy bonuses

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4 CDC execs get healthy bonuses

By ALISON YOUNG

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/24/06

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2006/10/23/1024

meshcdccash.html

Four executives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

will receive bonuses worth 20 percent to 35 percent of their pay in

recognition of their outstanding leadership accomplishments, agency

officials said Monday.

For one winner of these Presidential Rank Awards, the honor will

raise his cumulative cash awards and bonuses in recent years to more

than $100,000, CDC awards data show.

• Gerberding memo praised award winners

" I am pleased and proud that four CDC employees have been recognized

by President Bush as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Rank

Awards, " CDC Director Gerberding said in a written

statement. " The number of recent awards presented to CDC employees

speak very highly of the agency and the caliber of employees that we

are fortunate to have working at CDC. "

The issue of who gets cash awards and bonuses at the CDC has been

the subject of controversy within the agency in recent months and

has drawn scrutiny by members of Congress. The Atlanta Journal-

Constitution reported last month that the CDC employees receiving

the most frequent large cash awards and performance bonuses of

various types were mostly budget, accounting and administrative

staff, rather than scientists.

Two of the CDC's four new Presidential Rank Award recipients lead

scientific centers. And while some types of cash awards are decided

solely by the CDC, the Presidential Rank Awards require nomination

by the CDC, then further nomination by the Department of Health and

Human Services. A national citizens panel makes final selections,

this year choosing 297 winners from 33 agencies, that are approved

by the president.

The CDC award winners were:

Seligman, CDC chief information officer, responsible for

information technology in the office of the director. The award is

for " extraordinary accomplishments in improving management and

operations, " the CDC statement said.

Janet , director of the CDC's National Center for Chronic

Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, for " extraordinary

accomplishments " in adolescent health, disease prevention and CDC

management, the statement said.

Hunter, deputy director of the CDC's Washington office,

for " outstanding dedication, extraordinary judgment, and superb

knowledge of program administration, " the statement said.

Dr. Valdiserri, who left the CDC last month as deputy

director of the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention. He

won for " an amazing range of scientific and programmatic

accomplishments. " He now works at the Veterans Health Administration.

and Seligman received awards for " distinguished " service

worth 35 percent of their base pay. Hunter and Valdiserri received

awards for " meritorious " service worth 20 percent of their base pay.

CDC officials did not release the dollar amounts each will receive.

Senior CDC executives are paid $109,808 to $165,200. That means that

each distinguished award would be worth about $38,000 to $58,000,

and each meritorious award about $22,000 to $33,000.

While these bonuses are small compared to those given to CEOs of

major corporations, the Presidential Rank Awards are large for

government workers and are designed to reward key leaders who chose

public service over corporate profit.

For Seligman, the honor will put his cumulative awards since 2000

over $100,000. Before this distinguished rank award, he had received

at least $94,955 in seven awards and bonuses from the CDC. He

received more than $46,000 of that since 2004, according to a

database of CDC awards obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

had received three previous performance awards since 2004,

totaling $46,000. Hunter had received five awards since 2004,

totaling about $46,000. Valdiserri had received four previous awards

since 2000, totaling about $67,000, the data show.

CDC officials would not release copies of documents detailing the

accomplishments that earned the four officials their Presidential

Rank Awards, and instead released a statement with only vague

information.

The CDC has repeatedly refused to release any paperwork that details

why individuals earned various awards, who nominated them and who

approved them.

The Journal-Constitution has been requesting such information from

spokesmen as well as under the federal Freedom of Information Act

since July 3, and has filed two appeals of how the CDC is handling

the requests.

To reach reporter Alison Young call 404-526-7372.