WASHINGTON -- James E. Cason, Associate Deputy Secretary announces today that Grayford Payne, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Indian Affairs was one of fifteen individuals to receive the 2005 Secretary's Executive Leadership Award at a ceremony held today at the Department of the Interior.

Presenting the awards at the ceremony was Acting Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlet. "Your leadership at the Department of the Interior and throughout your public service has helped all of us to accomplish so much more on behalf of the American public than had we not been blessed by your service," said the Secretary. Prior to becoming the Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Gray served as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer as well as the Director of Financial Management within Indian Affairs.

"Grayford Payne is a fine example of the type of employees we have at Indian Affairs," said James E. Cason. "His experience and expertise are valuable assets, to our efforts to bring quality services to Indian country and the American people."

He came to Indian Affairs in 2001, and under his leadership Indian Affairs successfully implemented an Activity Based Cost/Management System. As Indian Affairs Deputy Chief Financial Officer and now CFO Gray has worked to reorganized Indian Affairs CFO operations to improve its financial management and financial accountability. Gray started his career with the Department of Defense, Naval Audit Service providing oversight of Navy National Security programs. From 1993 to 2000 Gray was the Director of Financial Management at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission where he received the Commission's award for Leadership Excellence for his leadership in transforming the Commission's Office of Financial Management into an effective and efficient CFO organization.

Gray is from Annandale, Virginia and a 1980 graduate of George Mason University with a degree in Accounting. He graduated in 1991 from the Department of Defense - Defense Systems Management College as a certified DOD Program Manager.