5 minutes
Evening of Honors 2026
As guests strolled down the Wharf in D.C., the Anthem’s marquee was impossible to ignore: GovExec Evening of Honors. The billboard, usually reserved for headliners, belonged – for a night – to public service.
Passersby slowed down, craned their necks, and asked, ”What event is this?”
The answer waited on the red carpet.
Inside, the first moments were captured. A camera flash, a hearty laugh, the straightening of a jacket. Everyone arrived ready to celebrate public service at its highest level.
Red carpet interviews began with the public sector’s most respected voices.
Venice Goodwine, CIO for the Department of the Air Force and Space Force, and Federal 100 judge, talked about what she valued most in reviewing the nominations. “Individuals that we select understood our need to be the first and to be the best,” Goodwine said. “Not just giving the solution, but also the partnerships.”
Greg Barbaccia, Federal CIO and Federal 100 judge, also noted the importance of partnership: “I'm happy to be here… and hear all the best parts of industry, and what they have to offer the government.”
“The people that stood out… were using technology in support of their missions,” said Jonathan Alboum, Federal CTO of ServiceNow and Federal 100 judge. “They were using AI, they were using capabilities that are available from vendors across the spectrum in order to make sure that the work of their agency executes as well as it possibly could, and that's what helped them stand out.”
But we cannot celebrate how far we’ve come without recognizing where we’ve been.
“I always like to tell my people, attack your windshield and don't worry so much about the rearview mirror. There's a reason it's so much smaller,” said Jamison Braun, SVP & Managing Director, U.S. Public Services at SAP. “Think back on that rearview mirror… on how important it is that we have fueled the innovation of the entire global ecosystem. From creating shipping lines to creating John Deere and Caterpillar, and the technological revolution, the industrial revolution. All of those started right here in America. Hold on to that legacy.”
This gathering has a storied legacy. In it, the main characters are the most influential people in the government ecosystem. People who have spent the year doing work most of the country will never see, even though they feel its effects every day.
“It is no different than any other type of service that one could provide in any other part of the employment ecosystem,” said Susan Monarez, 2026 Government Hall of Fame Inductee. “But it’s one that will scale and have an impact on so many people who will never know who you are. But you will know what you have done. And there is no greater ambition to come in and to be able to say that I served 10 million people today, or 100 million people today, and I have made their lives better.”
That sentiment was evident throughout the night in the way winners credited their teams, judges described the honor of reading through the nominations, and conversations kept returning to the impact.
Out on the marquee terrace, the sun began to set – rich pinks and golds mimicked by the cherry blossom cocktails. The federal ecosystem mingled together: leaders from Google Public Sector, GSA, SAP, CISA, SAIC, DOE, Peraton, Congress, Elastic, and more.
Overlooking the stage stood the Government Hall of Fame presented by AT&T. The work of Susan Coller Monarez and William J. Walker was on display to celebrate and inspire.
The Government Hall of Fame is built for careers whose effects outlive a title, outlast a news cycle, and keep paying dividends long after someone leaves an office.
Susan Coller Monarez’s career has included senior roles at the White House, the National Security Council, and multiple federal research agencies, centered on strengthening health security, managing multibillion-dollar portfolios, and shaping policy across national and international health systems.
William J. Walker’s career has spanned law enforcement, intelligence, and the National Guard, including leadership roles overseeing the protection of members of Congress and key House facilities during his time as Sergeant at Arms.
The ring of chimes signaled for guests to take their seats. Over 800 attendees filtered down to take their seats in front of the stage. Government and industry, friends and family, Federal 100 winners, and Hall of Fame inductees all sat side-by-side. Old bonds renewed. New ones formed. A selfie. An “I haven’t seen you since–” or “Have you met–.”
The National Anthem lifted the crowd to its feet and served as a reminder of the purpose for this celebration: working to better this nation.
“As we gather on the doorstep of America’s 250th anniversary, we’re reminded that public service has always been at the center of this country’s progress,” remarked GovExec’s CEO Tim Hartman from the stage. “What makes this moment different is the scale and speed of transformation underway today.”
“But tonight is really about the people behind that work,” Hartman continued. “The leaders who are showing up every day to serve, to solve hard problems, and to move missions forward… delivering for the public in ways that often go unseen.”
He left the audience with a simple directive: “Use this time well – to connect with one another, share perspectives, and strengthen the relationships that make this community so impactful.”
Kris Levin-Snow, Area Vice President, National Security at AT&T, stepped up next, voice steady, proud. She called it a privilege to stand before a room of servant leaders. Progress asks for partnership; it asks for trust across the people inside government and the people beside it, she said.
GovExec does not choose the Federal 100 winners; federal technology leaders across government and industry do.
GovExec Editor-in-Chief Frank Konkel reflected on the rigor behind the Federal 100 selection process: hundreds of nominations (this year, more than 500) reviewed and narrowed by senior leaders across government and industry who understand both the complexity and impact of the work.
Thirty-seven years ago, the tradition of the Federal 100 Awards began with a request from the Office of Management and Budget to FCW for a way to recognize good work in government. Now, thousands have earned the recognition. Each award season serves as a snapshot of what progress looked like at that moment in time.
This is what makes the Federal 100 Awards so unique and winning one such a privilege.
Each recipient was then invited to stand. A rush of applause filled the room. Colleagues nudged each other. Spouses reached for their phones to capture the moment. A teammate mouthed, “That’s you!”
Nearly all of the 100 award winners were in attendance for their turn in the spotlight.
One of the most anticipated moments at Evening of Honors is the announcement of the Government and Industry Eagle Award winners.
Each year, two standouts from the Federal 100 class are invited onstage to accept this honor. The Eagle Awards are the Federal 100’s highest distinction, reserved for one government leader and one industry leader whose work has set the pace for the broader community.
This recognition carries a history of standout recipients, including Venice Goodwine, Arun Gupta, David Shive, Nick Sinai, Laura Stanton, Max Peterson, and many more.
Jeffrey Koses, Senior Procurement Executive at GSA, was announced as the 2026 Government Eagle Award winner. Koses led the revolutionary FAR overhaul, eliminating 2,724 “must-do” requirements and 484 pages of cumbersome regulations. Koses’s work is guided by three ideas: “The government needed to communicate better with industry to avoid protests. The workforce shouldn’t be stuck working 16-hour days just to keep up. And technology should make the job easier, not harder.” He’s a prime example of someone who’s dedicated to making government work better from the inside out.
Meagan Metzger, Founder and CEO of Dcode, was announced as the 2026 Industry Eagle Award winner. She saw the government repeatedly spending time and money on building technology that already existed in the commercial market. Today, Dcode is helping close that gap by turning proven tech into a competitive advantage at the mission’s edge. “Where others saw barriers – requirements, contracting, incentives – Metzger saw problems to solve,” writes Heather Kuldell-Ware in Metzger’s profile on Nextgov/FCW. “If there was a path forward, she was going to find it.”
As the program ended, the red carpet filled again – now with awards in hand.
Awardee gift bags provided by Carahsoft lined the entranceway, offering guests one last photo op by the cascading flowers and Evening of Honors display. Federal 100 recipients proudly held their awards close and pulled family and teammates into the frame.
“We don't celebrate success nearly enough,” said David Wennergren, President and CEO of ACT-IAC and Federal 100 judge. “And this is just a tremendous opportunity to celebrate outstanding accomplishments by leaders in both government and industry.”
Evening of Honors was created by the community for the community. Sponsors of this event don’t just send logos; they send leadership. Every year, the room sells out as this ecosystem rallies around each other.
Thank you to our sponsors whose support helped make the 2026 celebration possible:
As planning for 2027 begins, we’re looking forward to continuing to build and evolve the experience alongside our partners and supporters. If you’re interested in participating in the 2027 program, we’d love to continue the conversation. Reach out today.
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