NAVFAC Washington Environmental Director Completes 42 Years of Federal Service

Tom Lewis, environmental business line leader, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington, and regional environmental program director, Naval District Washington (NDW), has retired after 42 years of federal service.

Lewis grew up in Hyattsville, Md., where he attended DeMatha Catholic High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering from The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. He began his career in the federal government with the General Services Administration in 1978 before joining Engineering Field Activity (EFA) Chesapeake in 1984. He served there for 18 years, starting as a Mechanical Engineer in the Utilities Division. In 1988, he was promoted to Energy Brach Manager, before moving over to the Environmental department in 1991. He became liaison to NDW Environmental in 1998 and eventually joined NDW Environmental in 2002, where he was eventually promoted to lead for the Region Environmental program.

Lewis was finally reassigned in 2007 to NAVFAC Washington, the organization consolidated with assets from EFA Chesapeake and Public Works Center Washington, to serve as Environmental Business Line Leader. NAVFAC Washington’s environmental team currently consists of approximately 130 interdisciplinary professionals working throughout the National Capital Region.

“It has been a huge privilege for me to have been able to serve as the Environmental Business Line Leader for NAVFAC Washington and the Regional Program Director for NDW for the last 13 years,” Lewis said. “I was honored with being able to lead an incredible team of professionals who brought their best to the workplace each and every day. Their dedication to duty and outstanding technical expertise have made the EV BL team a model for success. We have met many challenges together and succeeded in overcoming them.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NAVFAC Washington workforce overall, and the environmental team in particular, has had to adapt to severe changes to where and how they work. From maximum telework allowances, to properly operating in the office and in the field under CDC guidelines, the environmental program under Lewis has not skipped a beat.

“This year has brought an environment to the workplace that none of us could have predicted. All have stood tall and kept our program going at the highest level in spite of the many obstacles that have been placed in our way.”

2020 was quite the year to end a long, successful career. Lewis is the father of two children, a son, Samuel, and a daughter, Skylar. He resides in Chesapeake Beach, Md., with his wife, Katrina, and has no plans to relocate from the area where he was born, raised and served.