The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has named Jisun Kang its Manager of the Year. Kang is chief of contracting at the Far East District (FED) in Korea. The publisher says the award came through the USACE Excellence in Contracting Awards Program. It recognizes her leadership of a contracting portfolio of nearly $265 million. This is a single-district honor, not an Army-wide policy change, but its lessons apply to many small teams.
The publisher reports that Kang managed 15 complex contract actions during the 2025 to 2026 rating period. A contract action is a formal step to buy services or supplies. Among them was a $200 million Construction Security Monitoring (CSM) services contract. She also led a $44.2 million CSM task order supporting the Korea Air Operations and Intelligence Center. The article says both actions protect critical national security infrastructure, and it notes that personnel turnover made the work harder.
Kang also tested new tools in her district. She pushed alternative project delivery methods and became the division's first district-level chief to complete Other Transaction Authority training. This training covers a flexible contracting path that differs from standard contracts. She also launched a 2026 pilot that used generative AI, a type of artificial intelligence that creates text and recommendations, in the acquisition process. The publisher says the pilot helped speed document preparation and shorten review cycles. Kang stresses that people must still apply judgment and accept accountability.
Workforce growth is the core of Kang's approach, according to the article. Under her mentorship, all three military members of the team, one officer and two NCOs, earned $100 million contracting officer warrants. A warrant is official authority to sign contracts up to a set dollar limit. She also wrote and put in place a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the 411th Contracting Support Brigade. That agreement created a joint personnel exchange program, giving professionals from both organizations chances to share skills.
For NCOs, the lessons are practical rather than automatic. Consider how you prepare junior Soldiers for their next qualification or responsibility. Think about which skills need outside exposure, such as a cross-team exchange. Kang also founded a Toastmasters club in August 2025 to build public speaking confidence, and the article says it reached Distinguished Club status in its first year. Discuss with your team which small habits, like regular town halls or team events, help people trust one another.
Source: U.S. Army: USACE Manager of the Year: Jisun Kang leads Far East District contracting. Published 2026-10-28.