The Foreign Service Journal, September 2004

David Jesser Embassy Pretoria D avid Jesser was chosen as an AFSA Post Representative of the Year for his work in Pretoria. Jesser previously served as AFSA rep inMuscat. “His sustained diligence as an AFSA rep for nearly five years makes him a worthy recipient of the AFSA Post Rep of the Year award,” says AFSA Labor Management Specialist James Yorke. Jesser is consistently available for AFSAmembers when they need help, and has skill- fully translated his role as AFSA rep into an effective advocacy posi- tion. He also does an outstanding job of keeping AFSA head- quarters up-to-date on employee concerns at post. Jesser explains that as AFSAbecamemore involvedwith issues of concern to specialists in themid-1990s, his contact withAFSA increased. With help fromanAFSA lawyer and support from theOIG, Jesser won a grievance case. “Buoyed by all the support and guidance AFSA had givenme in correctly address- ing that particularly difficult issue in the workplace,” Jesser says, “I enthusiastically became anAFSA rep at an onward assignment.” Over the past two years, Jesser has worked hard to secure benefits for those at post in the “administrative and technical” staff category. A&T personnel in Pretoria are not given the same benefits as those on the “diplomatic list.” In Pretoria, Jesser investigated reciprocity issues in an effort to lessen the hardships onA&T personnel. In one example, he determined that SouthAfricanA&T personnel serving in theU.S. were allowed to purchase a car duty-free during the duration of their assignments, while AmericanA&T personnel in SouthAfrica could only do so during their first sixmonths at post. The result of his advo- cacy on this issue was inclusion in anOIG inspection report of a recommendation that post and theOffice of ForeignMissions take steps to rectify the inequity. In addition, he worked to eliminate the inequity that gives access to Pretoria’s duty-free stores toAmericanmis- sionmembers on the diplomatic list but not toA&T personnel. “The job of AFSA rep is what ones makes of it,” he says. “I see it as a valuable leverage tool between embassy staff and post manage- ment when circumstances warrant.” When difficult situations arise, the choice, says Jesser, “is to stickmy head in the sand and grin and bear it, or to speak out against unpopular issues and policies. I chose the latter and, in turn, AFSA ensured that I never had to go it alone.” David Jesser was born in Providence, R.I. He has a B.A. and an A.A. from the University of Maryland. He served for four years with the U.S. Coast Guard before joining the Foreign Service in 1988 as an information management specialist. He has served in Hong Kong, Cairo, The Hague, Muscat and Pretoria, and is mar- ried to Joann Wernig. Randy J. Kreft Embassy Moscow R andy J. Kreft was selected as a winner of the 2004 AFSA Post Rep of the Year Award for his work as the AFSA representative for EmbassyMoscow. Themanagement officers who nominat- ed himnoted that in their combined 50-plus years in the Foreign Service, “Randy is the single-best AFSA representative we have seen. … He combines the attributes of passion and judgment in a balanced fashion, speaking in a forceful yet judicious voice on behalf of Foreign Service employees as a reasoned interlocutor withmanagement.” InMoscow, Kreft has made sure he is accessible to all members, has kept his ear to the ground, and has been diligent inmaking sure that AFSA headquarters is aware of issues that need attention. He has been so effective at post because he developed a relationship with embassy management based onmutual trust. The high regard in which he is held allowed him to effectively represent his clients. The workplace inMoscowwas the better for this constructive relation- ship. Kreft is a proactive AFSA representative. He meets quarterly with the deputy chief of mission, briefing himon specific concerns that employees have as well as on the general state of morale at Embassy Moscow and the consulates. Kreft’s temporary duty travel allows him to be an extra set of eyes for the DCMat the constituent posts. Kreft regularly sits in on briefings for newcomers. He wants peo- ple to know his face—not just his telephone number. For the new- comers, he provides an informative but brief presentation about what an AFSA rep can do. He reminds people that if they are to be inter- viewed by the regional security officer on any matter, they may request that the AFSA rep sit in on that interview. Kreft alsomakes it clear that his door is open to any employee for consultations, AFSA member or not, U.S. citizen or not. While Kreft has intervened on behalf of post employees in numerous cases, one example bears noting. When the Russian State Customs Committee began holding up shipping entitlements for administrative and technical staff, he played an important role in liais- ing between post management andmembers at post. His involve- ment helped keep a difficult situation frombecoming divisive within the embassy community. Summing up his many contributions, the officers who nominated Kreft say: “Randy’s proactive, constructive skills and abilities as an AFSA representative are key to resolving problems early andmaking this mission the great workplace it is.” Randy Kreft was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, and graduated from Idaho State University School of Applied Technology in Laser Optics. He served in the U.S Army from 1983 until 1992, joining the State Department in 1994. He has served in Washington, Frankfurt and Moscow. He and his wife, Petra, have a young daughter. SEPTEMBER 2004 • AFSA NEWS 7 AFSA President John Limbert presenting the Post Rep Award to Randy Kreft on June 24. Jesser receiving his award from AFSA President John Limbert. Jay Mallin Jesser discussing AFSA issues with Management Counselor Elizabeth P. Hinson. Jay Mallin AFSA 2004 Post Representative of the Year Award (This award replaces the Active Member Achievement Award, and now comes with a cash prize.)