JHQVAMC employee named VA Chief Engineer of the Year
MOUNTAIN HOME, TN— The VA Office of Healthcare Engineering named Kevin Milliken, chief engineer at James H. Quillen VA Medical Center (JHQVAMC), the 2023 VA Chief Engineer of the Year as part of its annual program to recognize top-performing federal engineers.
Milliken was nominated for his work overseeing JHQVAMC projects including a new sky bridge, parking garage, COVID-19 inpatient space and remote lab, expansions in Morristown and Knoxville, and other construction and renovation projects totaling more than $87 million.
Dr. Colleen Noe, Ph.D., JHQVAMC associate director, was happy to see Milliken recognized, stating he was more than deserving of the award.
“Kevin Milliken is an invaluable asset to the medical center,” said Noe. “During his tenure he has built high performing teams that respond quickly to any crisis and provide excellent customer service to our clinical and administrative staff. During the pandemic, he was instrumental in keeping patients and staff safe throughout the facility.”
Medical Center Director Dean B. Borsos presented the award to Milliken during a surprise ceremony and spoke highly of the his work.
“We have a 250 acre campus with over 60 buildings and so many of them are over 100 years old and all the infrastructure wear and tear that comes with that, yet Kevin and his team have been able to work together for so many years… keeping all of that historic architecture while modernizing it,” said Borsos. “All that you and your team has done is just absolutely phenomenal and we thank you for that.”
Milliken credited his employees and others for his success, stating their efforts deserve credit.
“It’s unfortunate this is an individual award because the work obviously can’t be done by an individual. I would consider this VA engineering team of the year award because, to be honest with you, I couldn’t do it without the team,” said Milliken. “This is easily the best engineering team in the VA, without question.”