Exchange Associate Honored for His Work with Combined Federal Campaign

Brent Bailey, an EEODI analyst for the Exchange, has been recognized as the North Texas Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Coordinator of the Year for 2019.

You read the date right – because of delays caused by COVID-19, Bailey did not receive the award until March 2021.

Chief Administrative Officer Tom Lozier, right, presents EEODI analyst Brent Bailey with his Federal Executive Board Public Service Award for North Texas Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Coordinator of the Year for 2019.

Bailey received a “FEBie” – a Federal Executive Board Public Service Award – for his work on the North Texas Combined Federal Campaign, one of 200 across the country that promotes workplace philanthropy by federal employees. The FEBies recognize federal employees who have shown a strong commitment to public service and who have created innovative fund-raising events that deliver high-impact results.

“Brent not only coordinated with our directorate CFC representatives, but also worked with the ‘back end’ of CFC, ensuring associate contributions were given to the correct charities as designated by pledges,” said Tom Ockenfels, vice president, Administration. “He developed weekly messages to associates to increase awareness of CFC and announce HQ events supporting the campaign.”

Events such as a chili cook-off and a cake competition, both held in December 2019 at the headquarters food court, helped raise awareness. Bailey continually updated directorates about upcoming charity events, even creating a special email account to alert associates of CFC events.

“Exchange employees love wearing jeans, so that was an easy selling point,” Bailey said. “I tried to make the emails a little comical and send out pictures of animals wearing different jeans. I did crazy captions and tried to drum up contributions.”

Bailey coordinated with more than 25 Dallas-area charities involved in CFC, letting each know how to access Dallas headquarters and working with security to ensure the groups were cleared to enter.

“It took a lot of work,” he said. “There were a lot of times I’d have to coordinate with them after hours to get things accomplished.”

He said he got a lot of help from HQ associates who would volunteer to assist during work breaks.

“I appreciate everyone who assisted me on these events,” he said. “Their work comes first, so any 15-minute break that they could contribute was awesome.”