[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 151 (Thursday, December 11, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S6686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING WILLIAM ``BILL'' LOVELADY JR.

  Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I wish to recognize Mr. William ``Bill'' 
Lovelady, Jr., for his 34 years of service in the U.S. Army. Bill has 
worked on behalf of our Nation as a civil servant, rising to chief 
counsel for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, or 
ERDC. Throughout his career, he has displayed leadership, 
professionalism, initiative, and dedication. His accomplishments will 
have a significant and lasting impact on the Corps of Engineers' 
laboratory community, the Army, and our Nation. Today, in recognition 
of his retirement, I offer thanks and congratulations.
  Prior to Bill's 22 years as counsel to the ERDC and Waterways 
Experiment Station, he served as assistant division counsel to the 
Lower Mississippi Valley Division and Corps of Engineers. He also 
worked for the Vicksburg District of the Corps as a trial attorney. In 
these capacities, Bill played an instrumental role in the successful 
execution of the command's missions, particularly regarding research 
and development. In fact, he is acknowledged as the Corps' leading 
legal authority in this mission area.
  Bill's accomplishments do not end there. He has been recognized by 
chief counsels as an example for other legal managers in the command, 
including his selection as a charter member of the Chief Counsel's 
Managing Partners Group, board of directors. This group, comprised of 
senior Corps attorneys, is responsible for recommendations to improve 
the delivery of legal services. Bill's exceptional legal advice, 
acumen, and sound judgment were no doubt of immense value to this 
group.
  Bill has also served as an advisor to the ERDC Installation Planning 
Board, ERDC Program Budget Advisory Committee, ERDC-Vicksburg Site 
Partnership Council, ERDC Special Recognition Committee, and ERDC 
Senior Anti-Terrorism Steering Committee. He is a member of the Federal 
Laboratory Consortium Legal Support Subcommittee and an active 
participant in the Department of Defense, DOD, Technology Transfer 
Integrated Project Team.
  In 1999, Bill worked tirelessly in the reorganization of the Corps' 
laboratories to establish the ERDC. He helped develop plans, worked to 
implement them, and solved numerous leadership, administrative, labor-
management, and legal challenges. In reviewing all aspects of the 
reorganization plans, he ensured that R&D leadership was advised of 
potential legal concerns and solutions through the process. Moreover, 
he effectively assumed leadership over the geographically dispersed and 
formerly independent legal assets of the Corps' laboratory system. 
Because of the legal team's substantial contributions, ERDC's structure 
and operating mode have served as a model for delivery of legal 
services across the Corps.
  Bill has always been a proven manager and adviser. In 1998, a new 
human resources system was instituted under one of nine congressionally 
authorized science and technology laboratory personnel management 
demonstration projects. Bill applied his leadership and legal 
experience to identifying the distinctions between the features of the 
project and the basic Federal personnel system. His advice was critical 
to implementation strategies and problem-solving during the transition.
  Bill is the coauthor of the ``Research & Development Partnering 
Handbook,'' a comprehensive guide that collected all R&D partnering 
authorities, pursuant to the Technology Transfer Act. He has assisted 
in the negotiation and resolution of complicated legal issues involving 
the licensing of ERDC-developed technologies. He also has played a key 
role in supporting ERDC's laboratories with the drafting and 
negotiating of domestic and international patent licenses, cooperative 
research and development agreements, education and interagency 
partnership agreements, and service agreements. These instruments have 
seen ERDC partner with State and local governments, other Federal 
agencies, colleges, universities, and private companies.
  Since the early 1990s, Bill has also provided legal advice and 
assistance for the Department of Defense's High Performance 
Supercomputing Modernization Plan. He was essential to the 
establishment of DOD's first High Performance Computing Resource Center 
and recently addressed issues involving access to DOD's high 
performance supercomputing facilities.
  In short, Bill has been vital to the Engineer Research and 
Development Center management team and its success. His friendly, 
outgoing personality only adds to his professionalism. On a personal 
note, I would add that he has been a close friend of mine for over four 
decades and his wife Dianne has been a lifelong friend. I wish them 
both the best in this new chapter of their lives.

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