Meet George Yacus

Candidate For Congress
Virginia Congressional District Three

George Yacus is a native of Warren, New Jersey.  After graduation from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1974, he served for twenty years in the U. S. Navy as a pilot and naval officer in a variety of assignments that included overseas, headquarters, shipboard, and aircraft carrier duties.  Following active duty he worked as a Performance Improvement Consultant for the U.S. Coast Guard, improving organizational excellence as an internal management consultant.  He recently was a performance improvement specialist for the Office of Fossil Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, and then served as an acting office director for the Office of Quality Management at the National Nuclear Security Administration, part of the Department of Energy.  As a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt he facilitated process improvement projects and events.

Dr. Yacus has served or is still serving on a variety of not-for-profit and local community boards of directors. He is an elder at the Bayside Church of Christ in Virginia Beach.  He is also the bandleader, lead singer, and keyboardist in the local music group, The Phun Doctors Band.

Dr. Yacus holds a Ph.D. in Management from Old Dominion University.  He teaches management courses at ODU’s Strome School of Business and also at the New England College of Business.  Degrees include a Master of Science in Management from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of  Urban Studies from Old Dominion University, and a B.S. in Political Science from the U. S. Naval Academy, and a certificate of completion from the Naval War College.

He is married to Alana Yacus and has two children, a daughter Lara Chapman and a son George Michael Yacus II.   His hobbies include boating, aviation, motorcycles, running, and music.

 

Earned Degrees

1970-1974 — Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

• (American Political Systems)
• United States Naval Academy
• Annapolis, Maryland 21412

1983-1984 — Master of Science, Management (M.S.)

• (Manpower, Personnel, and Training Analysis)
• United States Naval Postgraduate School
• Monterey, California 93940

1994-1996 — Master of Urban Studies (M.U.S.)

• Old Dominion University
• Norfolk, Virginia 23529

1996-1998 — Doctor of Philosophy, Urban Services – Management (Ph.D.)

• (Strategic Management)
• Old Dominion University
• Norfolk, Virginia 23529

 

Positions

 

Current: Candidate, U. S. House of Representatives, Virginia District 3

 

2019-2020

Director, Office of Quality Management (acting), National Nuclear Security Administration.  Conducted management audits for the nation’s nuclear enterprise.  Analyzed audit results and recommended solutions and improvements.  Ran the Lean Six Sigma program at DOE, training and certifying belts and improving organizational performance via continuous process improvement.

 

2014-2019

Process Improvement Specialist, Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, Washington DC.  Acted as GS-15 Office Director for Productivity and Sustainability from Oct 2015-March 2017.  Completed 4 month detail as executive assistant to fossil energy’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations focusing on business operations and strategic planning.  Served as Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.  Facilitated significant customer-driven, results-oriented quality and process improvement across the organization using lean, six-sigma, Baldrige, and other performance management strategies as appropriate to save money, decrease cycle time, and improve satisfaction with processes.  Created Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Office of Fossil Energy.  Provided guidance and instruction and mentoring to process improvement teams that were using organized, structured, and robust CPI methods.  Developed curriculum and executed training for sponsor, yellow belt, green belt, and black belt training throughout several national sites.  Assisted senior leaders and managers with identifying viable projects, defining project scope and priority, and the replication of best practices.  Served as chair/board member of the Federal Improvement Team  of federal process improvement communities of practice and the academic community.  .  Courses taught: Management in Organizations.

 

2013-2014

Branch Chief, Process Improvement and Training Branch, Comptroller Division, US Coast Guard Finance Center, Chesapeake VA.  Master Black Belt that supervised five program analysts responsible for Lean Six Sigma process improvement and unit training for enterprise-wide financial transactional processes of the US Coast Guard and other federal customers.  Courses taught: Management in Organizations.

 

2000-2013

Organizational Performance Consultant Detachment Chief, USCG CG-0952 HQ detached to Atlantic Area.  Supervised a dozen East-coast Organizational Performance Consultants and had oversight of Performance Management, Measurement,  Quality, Innovation, and Baldrige-based programs for the Coast Guard’s Atlantic Area.  Adjunct Professor at Old Dominion University, Troy University, and The National Graduate School of Quality Management.  Courses Taught:  International Business Operations, Comparative International Management,  Public Strategic Management (graduate), Public Ethics (graduate), Public Budgeting (graduate), International Business (graduate), Leadership (graduate), Business Policy & Strategy (graduate), Organizational Behavior (graduate),Issues in Human Resource Management (graduate), Publishing (graduate), Contemporary Organizations & Management, Labor-Management Relations. Taught LSS Green Belt and LSS Black Belt curricula for Department of Energy detail.

 

1999-2000

Senior Analyst for Signal Corporation, conducted a prototype regional strategic assessment for the U.S. Coast Guard and made global resource recommendations.  Adjunct Professor at Old Dominion University & Troy University.  Courses Taught: Public Leadership (graduate, distance), International Business Operations, Public Ethics (graduate), Public Budgeting (graduate).

 

1998-1999

Academic Dean at The International University, Vienna, Austria

Courses Taught: Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, Production Operations, Security Studies (graduate).

 

1994-1998

Research Assistant for the Urban Studies & Public Administration Department, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529

Courses Taught: International Business Management, Introduction to Business, Topics in Public Administration (graduate, distance learning), Public Budgeting (graduate, distance learning)

 

1992-1994

Safety/Total Quality Officer on board the aircraft carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73), Norfolk VA

Courses Taught: Total Quality Management (varied).

 

1991-1994

Associate Professor/Executive Officer, Naval ROTC Unit,

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA.

Courses Taught: Leadership and Management

 

1989-1991

Program Analyst, Naval Education, Training, and Recruiting Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington D.C.  Programmed funds for Navy Recruiting and Educational programs.

 

1974-1994

Active Duty Naval Officer, including naval helicopter pilot duties, two carrier helicopter antisubmarine squadron tours, overseas duty, and amphibious shipboard duty.  Graduate of flight training, surface warfare training (qualified), Aviation Safety School, and Naval War College.  Extensive applied experience in management, operations, administration, engineering, and safety.

 Teaching Experience

Downlaod Teching Experience

Results

2019-2020

Director (acting), Office of Quality Management, National Nuclear Security Administration.  Ran the Quality Management Assessment Program completing three audits.  Developed and delivered curricula for white, yellow, green, and black belt Lean Six Sigma programs.  Improved the security clearance process and worked on the Time2Hire process team with the Human Capital director. Team leader for the administration’s Technical Qualification Program corrective action team.

 

2014-2019

Process Improvement Specialist for Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy.  Created a new strategic plan and strategic management system for the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations.  Developed a Measures of Performance (MOP) Metrics system for Fossil Energy and an annual planning calendar.  Acted as Office Director from 2015-2017, supervising a four member unit.  Served as master Black Belt and monitored a dozen process improvement projects.  Conducted sponsor, yellow belt, green belt, and black belt classes at headquarters and national laboratories/field sites.  Researched and wrote a half a dozen Standard Operating Procedures for Hiring, Budgeting, Contracting, Congressional Engagement, and other areas.  Infused Baldrige-based assessment at cross-cutting offices using the Virginia quality award Discovery program.  Taught Yellow Belt and Green Belt classes for the Environmental Protection Agency.  As Federal Improvement Team board member/chair, developed a strategic plan for a 200+ member community of practice, developed by-laws, chartered 3 standing work committees, and taught classes to foster Lean Six Sigma across the federal workspace.

 

2013-2014

USCG Process Improvement Chief for the Coast Guard’s national Finance Center. Rapidly assimilated to a large (400+) command, supervising three process improvement analysts and the unit training coordinator.  Performed basic supervisory functions and the planning and execution of process improvement, strategic planning, and training.  Participated in the hiring of a new member. Assisted the commanding officer as lead facilitator for the Executive Steering Committee, making recommendations for strategic planning and execution.  Fostered use of audience response technology to facilitate decision making.  Validated unit mission, vision, values, and currently running several new improvement projects in the support of the strategic plan. 

 

2000-2013

USCG Detachment Supervisor for the Coast Guard's Atlantic Area Quality program, overseeing a dozen East-coast Organizational Performance Consultants (OPCs) in the eastern United States. Accomplishments include:

• Supervised 6 military and 7 civilian OPCs, including writing of evaluations, hiring, granting of leave/liberty, performance counseling, award-writing, and certifying of timecards.
• Developed and executed program strategic plans, TOPCAT (the OPC Activity Tracker), customer feedback/contact monitoring tools, Standard  Operating Procedures (SOP), and measures.
• Delivered analytical and customer products and services, including strategic planning for major customers (District Five,  Training Centers, and FORCECOM). Facilitated the delivery of the Mid-Atlantic Maritime Strategy and Action Plan annex.  Attended Atlantic Area strategic planning offsites and progress meetings, assisting LANT-095.  Trained in CG Learning Tree strategic development tools.
• Chaired an Area Knowledge Management Quality Action Team (QAT) which developed into a major initiative to respond to Coast Guard emergencies and contingencies. Oversaw the Printer & Copier QAT to achieve building-wide efficiencies.
• Trained as a DoD Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (MBB) and certified as a Master Black Belt (Bon-Tech) and an ASQ Black Belt, facilitating small boat parts delivery and improving the production of navigational aids.  Chosen for 4-month detail with Department of Energy to develop a fossil fuels lean six-sigma improvement program, teaching GB and BB classes and running two improvement projects. Submitted USCG white paper proposing agency-wide LSS program.
• Ten-year member of USCG Innovation Council. Solicited and evaluated USCG enterprise innovation projects, awarded seed funding to promising competitive projects, and helped develop and execute a cutting-edge innovation program.
• Member of Comandant’s Leadership Advisory Council, the Commandant’s Diversity Advisory Council, and the area Leadership & Diversity Advisory Council, facilitating meetings and offering many creative ideas that were incorporated. Briefed the USCG commandant on several occasions.  Hosted a monthly leadership lunch for over ten years. Maintained CG Netflix video and local print leadership lending libraries.
• USCG Hamilton Award Examiner; conducted several Baldrige based assessments for organizational efficiency and effectiveness
• Original member of the local Civilian Advisory Board, recent chair that significantly improved civilian quality of worklife.
• Pioneered the use of Audience Response Technology, using it to make decisions in the recent  USCG Command and Control Realignment Workgroup to identify potential budget savings and efficiency. Also a member of the CG District Study and the author of the LANTAREA Organizational Level Assessment.
• Held a CG-wide Performance Excellence Scorecarding Summit and created a proposed District Scorecard currently under review. Conducts USCG Business Information system training.
• Member of the Federal Improvement Team, a collaborative team of federal performance improvement professionals. Steering committee member of the Hampton Roads Quality Management Council. Board member for the Virginia Senate Quality and Productivity Award.
• Conducted CG-wide forums in Lean Six Sigma, Knowledge Management, and Measurement.
• Analyzed Atlantic Area Organizational Assessment Survey data and recommended several improvements, some adopted.
• Formally trained as a master Organizational Performance Consultant, a PROSCI change management professional, a master facilitator, and a OKA graduate of Myers Briggs Type Indicator certification.

 

Chair, Local Emergency Planning Committee/Citizen Corps Council for Chesapeake VA and member of Portsmouth VA LEPC/CCC.  Created and executed strategic plans for both of these committees for the last several years.  One of four cities chosen nationally to participate in NETGUARD, a federally-funded pilot to establish emergency communications during natural or man-made emergencies.  Cultivated and monitored the use of NETGUARD, and it is the only city of the four pilot sites where it remains active.

 

1999-2000:

Senior Analyst that collected, analyzed, and synthesized performance data and future trends for the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, writing technical reports and developing consensus. for recommendations to flag-level decision makers. Generated and edited several Regional Strategic Assessments for Atlantic Area.

 

1998-1999

Academic Dean at a Christian university in Vienna Austria with a satellite site in Kiev, Ukraine.  Supervised faculty, made strategic recommendations and worked closely with the University President, supervised staff responsible for admissions and transcript data, and taught four classes to an internationally diverse student body.

 

1994-1998

Research assistant in several academic and applied research projects, including a one year study on regional strategic transportation planning, research grant writing, the conducting of strategic planning seminars to nonprofit agencies, and journal publication. Concentrated dissertation research in risk assessment instruments for parole and probation. Elder in local large church congregation involved in budget and strategic issues.  Band leader in charge of promotion, production, and performing of a small musical trio appearing at a wide variety of local events.

 

1992-1994

Department Head aboard a major naval combatant (USS George Washington). Director of an occupational safety and health program in a diverse and intensive industrial environment for over 5000 people.  Organized and ran a program for quality, encompassing several training programs for a large organization.

 

1989-1992

Executive Officer at the Naval ROTC Unit at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.  Supervised the tuition, military training, academic progress, and other facets of over 200 college students. Supervised a support staff of 12.  Maintained liaison with university staff and conducted an intensive recruiting effort.

 

1989-1992

Program Analyst responsible for federal budget programming for all Navy colleges, recruiting, and advertising.  Responded to Congressional and executive requests and budget reclamas.

           

1987-1989

Operations Officer, Administrative Officer, and Safety Officer in an operational naval helicopter squadron.Conducted scheduling, planning, budgeting, transporting, training, administrative, personnel, and risk-management functions, operating internationally in a high-energy, technical, closely-integrated environment.

 

 

Consulting and Training Activities

Chair, Federal Improvement Team 2015.  Board member through 2019

• Certified Master Black Belt through Bon-Tech September 2013

Led a four-month 2013 Lean Six Sigma MBB detail with DOE Fossil Fuels.  Taught lean six sigma green belt and black belt classes and leading two projects

• Completed DoD Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Curriculum in 2011
• ISO 9001:2008 Lead Auditor Certified
• ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) in Oct 2009, recertified 2012
• Certified June 2009 in the Change Management Process (PROSCI)
• Completed Navy Lean Sig Sigma Black Belt Curriculum December 2008
• Member USCG Commandant’s Diversity Advisory Council
• January 2008 Lean Six Sigma Green Belt trained
• Co-Chair of USCG Atlantic Area Innovation Council and a 2007 award winner for developing a CG Netflix program for leadership training videos for the CG
• 2006 Graduate of the Coast Guard’s Senior Leadership Principles & Skills course
• Member of the commandant’s USCG Leadership Advisory Council 2004-2007
• 2003-2004 graduate of the USDA Graduate School Executive Potential Program
• Conducted strategic planning for both the Chesapeake and Portsmouth VA Local Emergency Planning Committees and Hampton Roads Regional Emergency Management Coordinators
• Developed a Regional Strategic Assessment for resources to conduct assessment, measurement, and statistical analysis of Coast Guard field operations. 
• Provided consulting and strategic planning services to several local nonprofit organizations.
• Employed by Global Associates, LTD. as a consultant and subject matter expert in a Hampton Roads Regionalization project for the U.S. Navy, 1997

 

External Grants

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION IVHS Planning and Project

• Deployment Process, August 1993 / Old Dominion University / $44,639

WESLEY COMMUNITY CENTER STRATEGIC PLANNING, April 1997

• Old Dominion University Research Foundation

 

Major Technical Writing

“Final Report: Evaluation of the ITS Planning Process”, with Brian L. Smith, Richard V. Taylor, and Wolfgang Pindur (1995), Federal Highway Administration Project No. IVH-9351 (602) (Virginia Transportation Research Council:  Charlottesville VA).

“Literature Review and Working Paper Concerning Regionalism in the United States and Applicability to Hampton Roads, Virginia” (with Wolfgang Pindur), submitted as final
report for internship research to the College of Business and Public Administration,
Old Dominion University, October 1996

“Validation of the Risk and Needs Assessment used in the Classification for Parole and Probation of Virginia’s Adult Criminal Offenders” (Dissertation) (Old Dominion University:  December 1998)

 

Publications in Refereed Journals

"Strategic Visioning for ITS Regional Planning: A Case Study of Hampton Roads, Virginia”(with Wolfgang Pindur) Transportation Quarterly, Vol 50, No. 2, Spring 1996 (135-147)

"Implementing Regional Transportation Planning” (with Wolfgang Pindur) Public Works Management and Policy, Vol. 1, No. 4, 342-349, April 1997.

 

Chapters in Scholarly Books

“Achieving Governmental Missions With Innovative Practices and Technology:  Innovation in the Strategic Management of Regional Transportation Improvement” (with Wolfgang Pindur) Handbook of Strategic Management (Second rev. edition), Jack Rabin, Gerald J. Miller, W. Bartley Hildreth, eds. (New York:Marcel Dekker); May 2000

 

Dissertations:

“Applying Quality Systems Management Principles to Resolve Problem Disbursements at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service” Julie M. Brumm, 2 May 2016, National Graduate School of Quality Management (Dissertation Committee Chair)

 “Profit Based Simulation Model for the Rail Transportation Industry” Mark P. Doran, 28 April 2016, Old Dominion University (Dissertation Committee Member)

“An Exploratory Qualitative Single Case Study of ON HOW Life Skill Programs Affect Young African American Fathers” Jason M. Williams Sr., University of Phoenix (Dissertation Committee Member)

 

Selected Presentations at Professional Conferences

"Innovation in the Strategic Management of Regional Transportation Improvement” (with Wolfgang Pindur), paper presented at the 57th National Conference of the American Society of Public Administration, 1996.

"Diversification and Performance: A Meta-analytic Review” (with Brian Boyd, Nick Clark, Cynthia Maahs, Rosemary Shubring)  Paper  presented at Academy of Management Proceedings, Cincinatti OH 1996

 

Curriculum Development

 

Developed curricula for Program for Afloat College Education (PACE) and delivered graduate courses in management and marketing to ships at sea in 2008

 

Designed an Introduction to Management online course for nursing students in 2007 upon request of the ODU Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration

 

Advised the USCG Commandant as a member of his Leadership Advisory Council on leadership training and developed the USCG Leadership Manual

 

Made major curriculum decisions for several university programs.  Selected texts and designed courses in Production Operations, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, and Security Studies for foreign students. 

 

Developed course outline and slide shows for MGMT 361, International Business Management, as well as a complete course and outline for Public Budgeting 

 

Membership in Professional Societies

• American Society for Public Administration
• American Society for Quality
• American Society of Safety Engineers
• Pi Alpha Alpha

 

Awards & Recognition

• Shining Star Recognition, Division of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services, Fall 2015
• Delta Sigma Lambda Ruth Harrell Favorite Professor’s Award (March 2007)

 

Selected Community Professional Service

• Board Member, Virginia Senate Productivity and Quality Award
• Former Vice-President and Board Member, Virginia Conflict Resolution Center.  Helped oversee disbursement of assets and an orderly shutdown of operations
• Former Board Member / Governance Committee Chair, Tidewater Emergency Medical Services
• Former Chair, Chesapeake Local Emergency Planning Committee. Developed several strategic plans and executed them.
• Former Board Member, Portsmouth Local Emergency Planning Committee
• Elder, Bayside Church of Christ, Virginia Beach VA Project manager for design and construction of a $1.2M family life center and two other renovation projects
• Former President and Board Member, Community Alternatives, Inc.
• Board Member, Camp Idlewild Board of Directors
• Board Member, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Virginia 
• Bandleader for musical services for local community with Phun Doctors Band

 

Other Certifications

Commercial Pilot, Fixed and Rotary Wing, single and multiengine, IFR