District Digest News Stories

Nashville District names Brunt Employee of the Month for August 2017

Nashville District Public Affairs
Published Sept. 29, 2017
Matt Brunt, cartographic technician in the Real Estate Division, is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Employee of the Month for August 2017. (USACE photo by Lee Roberts)

Matt Brunt, cartographic technician in the Real Estate Division, is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Employee of the Month for August 2017.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 29, 2017) – Matt Brunt, cartographic technician in the Real Estate Division, is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District’s employee of the month for August 2017.

Brunt is recognized for his extensive work to manage, upgrade and process more than 13,000 land tracts at the district’s 10 lakes, which makes geospatial data readily available to detect and resolve encroachments, prepare leases, easements and permits, and for web mapping.

“Matt Brunt has served at the ‘tip of the spear’ for the Nashville District’s USACE Civil Works Land Data Migration Enterprise Initiative since 2016,” said Lt. Col. Cullen Jones, Nashville District commander.  “Matt completed the initiative two years earlier than the Corps-wide 2019 deadline, and saved the district $200,000 and two years of additional manpower for data processing.”

In standardizing the district’s geographic information system data management format ahead of time, it positions the GIS program to be a national model for other districts in the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division and across the Corps of Engineers.

“Matt’s GIS expertise and data management skills and sedulous, innovative efforts have led to his development of new techniques and streamlining measures that he is sharing across the enterprise to help other districts realize some of the same efficiencies,” said Eric Crafton, Real Estate Division Technical Resources Branch chief.

Brunt said a majority of prep work involved digitizing survey maps and deeds ahead of the GIS standardization that followed.  He said he particularly liked being involved with the project because of the challenges involved with problem solving and data maintenance.

“My favorite part of working in the GIS field is being handed an issue and being asked to find a solution, without there being a clear cut way toward that solution,” Brunt said.

The Kosciusko, Miss., native said it’s a great privilege to receive this award, but it’s in large part due to working with a strong team that encourages questions while also providing support and the tools needed to succeed.

“I really enjoy the culture of the Nashville District, and I’m lucky to work with a great group of people,” Brunt said.

Jones said in an era of scarce resources and tough funding priorities, Brunt’s superior ability to execute technical solutions and to do the ordinary extraordinarily well makes it possible for the district to “deliver the program” with efficiency.

Brunt enjoys reading, crossword puzzles, and filling his mind with worthless movie trivia. His parents Sam and Mariellen and Brother Alex reside in Elkton, Ky.

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