Presenter: Eric Evans, Director of Lincoln Laboratory
The first winner selected for an award in this category unfortunately passed away before we could publicly spotlight his many years of exemplary work at Lincoln Laboratory. The assistant to the business manager in the engineering division, Charlie Nickerson started out working on logistics, but on his own initiative expanded into financial planning and tracking. While many new activities have been just a little bit harder without Charlie’s guidance and experience—the lab continues to benefit from the scheduling and budgeting tools he put in place.
Typically, he came through in the clutch—like the time he ironed out a paperwork snafu to ensure the weekend shipment of a large telescope. He was also the obvious choice to coordinate the complicated logistics needed to move the huge support structures for the Haystack antenna out to Hanscom without fuss or error.
Both knowledgeable and pleasant to work with, he is sorely missed. And although he cannot be here to receive our thanks, his efforts have made a lasting impression. This Unsung Hero Award is for Charlie Nickerson. Today, we welcome his wife, Elaine Nickerson, who will accept his award. At the request of the Nickerson family, Charlie’s award money has been donated to the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center Priorities Fund.