Governor LePage Honors State Employees for Exceptional Service at Blaine House Ceremony
AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage today honored more than three dozen State employees whose commitment and attitude are improving the service State government is providing to Mainers.
At the annual William Twarog Employee Recognition Ceremony at the Blaine House, the Governor honored 38 employees with either a Manager or Employee of the Year Award and thanked each of them personally for their dedication to serving the people of Maine.
All were cited by their nominating agencies for their commitment to customer service, strong work ethic and willingness to take on new challenges, all characteristics that Governor LePage says are important to strengthening the culture of cooperation between State government and those it serves.
“I want to thank these outstanding employees for their hard work for the people of Maine and for serving as exemplary leaders within their respective departments,” the Governor said. “One of my priorities as Governor is to improve the quality of the service the State provides to Maine people. I am honored to serve our State and I know you are too. You are recognized today for your excellent service to the people of Maine.”
Among the Manager of the Year Award winners were Cathy Fetterman, who has revolutionized Maine’s fishing licensing system into a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art, user-friendly system, thereby tripling online renewals, as a management analyst at the Department of Marine Resources; Maria Jacques, the Director of the Emergency Services Communication Bureau, who has led the establishment of additional 911 services for Maine’s deaf and hard-of-hearing population; and William E. Vanwickler, Assistant Superintendent of Buildings, who was influential in the implementation of greater energy efficiency for the Military Bureau, resulting in significant cost savings for the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management.
Among the Employee of the Year Award winners were Ronda Stone, Consumer Protection Inspector, who developed and instituted training to serve food processors and businesses in order to ensure the safety of consumer food supply; Leona Hatch, an office associate at the Department of Labor who over the past 11 years has earned credit for the smooth running and maintenance of the Bangor Call Center; and Deborah Salley, Senior Technician, who consistently exemplifies the Department of Transportation’s values: “Integrity, Competence, and Service.”
The annual William Twarog Awards were created to honor William “Bill” Twarog and his work by recognizing State employees who promote quality services, listen to consumer voices and provide a role model for excellence in management. As part of his own life-long commitment to people with disabilities, Twarog worked for nearly a decade as a Regional Administration in Lewiston for what was the Bureau of Mental Retardation.
2013 Honorees
Manager of the Year
Joanne Allen, Department of Education
Rebecca Austin, Department of Health and Human Services
Christopher Boynton, Maine State Library
Christopher Coleman, Department of Public Safety
Linda Conti, Office of the Maine Attorney General
Carla Hopkins, Department of Environmental Protection
Maria Jacques, Public Utilities Commission
Vanessa Leon, Department of Professional and Financial Regulations
Emory “Denis” Lovely, Department of Transportation
Marcia McInnis, Department of Audit
David Roy, Department of the Secretary of State
Alison Sirois, Department of Marine Resources
David Struble, Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
Richard Tompkins, Department of Labor
William Vanwickler, Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management
Thomas Ward, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Galan Williamson, Jr., Department of Corrections
Philip Young, Department of Administrative and Financial Services
Employee of the Year
Chester Barnes, Department of Health and Human Services
Francis Brautigam, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Jason Brown, Department of Economic and Community Development
Jessica Cummings, Department of Public Safety
Rebekah Douin, Department of the Secretary of State
Dana Faucher, Department of Professional and Financial Regulations
Alan Fecteau, Maine State Library
Cathy Fetterman, Department of Marine Resources
Christopher George, Department of Administrative and Financial Services
Jacqueline Godbout, Department of Education
Leona Hatch, Department of Labor
Priscilla Kelley, Maine Arts Commission
Monique Lemieux, Department of Audit
Michelle Mclauchlan, Department of Corrections
JoAnn Mooney, Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management
Gregory O’Brien, Department of Environmental Protection
Deborah Salley, Department of Transportation
Lucretia Smith, Public Utilities Commission
Nora Sosnoff, Office of the Maine Attorney General
Ronda Stone, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry