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NEA Honors Steve Beshear with 'America's Greatest Education Governor' Award
NEA recognized Governor Steve Beshear with America's Greatest Education Governor Award on July 3, 2011 at NEA's annual Representative Assembly in Chicago, IL. Photo by Kevin Lock/NEA.
On June 30, 2011, the National Education Association announced that Gov. Steve Beshear is this year’s recipient of the America’s Greatest Education Governor Award. The annual award recognizes and honors governors who have made major, state-level education strides that improve public schools.
“Gov. Beshear has shown unwavering support for Kentucky’s students and educators,” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of NEA. “He championed quality preschool programs – one of the best investments our country can make – as well as raising the dropout age in Kentucky to 18. And in the midst of budget cuts, he fought to preserve resources for K-12 education and the Commonwealth’s students and classrooms. He has repeatedly stood strong for Kentucky’s students and schools.”
"The most important investment a state can make is in the education of its children, and that's why I have fought hard to protect the basic funding for our classrooms despite nine rounds of budget cuts,” said Gov. Beshear. “I am very pleased our efforts are being honored, and pledge to keep fighting for Kentucky's future."
Despite repeated budget shortfalls, Gov. Beshear has protected the main education funding formula from cuts. During his term, Kentucky has moved into the top 20 in the United States in fourth-grade and eighth-grade reading scores. He also signed legislation to make it easier for higher education students to transfer credits from a community or technical college to any of Kentucky’s four-year universities.
“Throughout his distinguished career, Gov. Beshear has been a friend and advocate for educators. In these tough economic times, he’s advanced children’s health, advocated for common sense pension reform, and protected our members’ health care,” said Sharron K. Oxendine, president of Kentucky Education Association and a math teacher from Clark County, KY. “There is not better friend of public education and educators than Steve Beshear.”
NEA President Dennis Van Roekel presented award to Gov. Beshear on July 3 before nearly 9,000 educators attending NEA’s Representative Assembly in Chicago. Beshear is the fourth recipient of the prestigious award.
Award for Best IT Collaboration among Organizations
Best IT Collaboration Among Organizations (from left) Commonwealth Office of Technology Commissioner Steve Rucker, Carol Ireson, Polly Bentley, Jeff Brady, Kathy Frye, and Government Technology Magazine's Jack Mortimer
The CHFS Governor’s Office of Electronic Health Information, CHFS Office of Administrative and Technology Services, CHFS Department for Public Health and University of Kentucky Regional Extension Office received a Best of Kentucky Award for the Kentucky Health Information Exchange during the annual Kentucky Digital Government Summit sponsored by Government Technology Magazine that was held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Frankfort on April 19, 2011.
The Kentucky Health Information Exchange provides the technical infrastructure for statewide electronic data exchange between hospitals, physician offices, commercial laboratories and pharmacies, and a number of other healthcare entities such as the state’s public health laboratory and infectious disease control programs.
The conceptual foundation for the exchange grew out of the push for a nationwide electronic health network to convert paper medical records to electronic data that can be shared more readily. Having timely access to and retrieval of a patient’s consolidated medical history enables providers to make more informed clinical decisions at the point of care and leads to improved quality of care, patient safety, and improved health outcomes.
Kentucky State Police Announce 2010 Awards
Trooper Receives Governor’s Medal of Valor Posthumously
The Kentucky State Police announced top officer honors at a ceremony in Frankfort on May 24. Beaver Dam resident Bryan W. Whittaker (left) was named 2010 Detective of the Year. Whittaker is a 16-year KSP veteran assigned to Post 16 in Henderson. Warsaw resident Emily R. Horton (center) was named the 2010 Jason Cammack Officer of the Year for the KSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. Horton is a three-year veteran of the division in CVE Region 3 based in Georgetown. Smithland resident Thomas J. Williams (right) was named 2010 Trooper of the Year. Williams is a nine-year KSP veteran assigned to Post 1 in Mayfield.
The Kentucky State Police announced the 2010 Trooper of the Year, Detective of the Year, Commercial Vehicle Officer of the Year, one Governor’s Medal of Valor and other awards for acts of bravery, life-saving, professionalism and dedication to duty on May 24, 2011 in Frankfort.
Smithland resident Sr. Tpr. Thomas J. Williams was named 2010 Trooper of the Year. A nine-year veteran of the Kentucky State Police, he is assigned to KSP Post 1 in Mayfield.
During 2010, Tpr. Williams issued 2,026 citations including 777 for speeding, 312 for seatbelt violations and 11 for child restraint violations. He investigated 45 criminal cases and made 279 criminal arrests. He served 53 warrants relating to fugitives from justice and arrested 29 drivers on suspended licenses. He also conducted 87 commercial motor vehicle inspections which resulted in 94 citations.
As the leader of the Post 1 highway drug interdiction team, Williams seized $45,918 in cash and confiscated significant quantities of marijuana, prescription narcotics, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, synthetic marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms. He also produced four informants for street-level detectives.
Beaver Dam resident Det. Bryan W. Whittaker was named 2010 Detective of the Year. A 16-year veteran of the Kentucky State Police, he is assigned to KSP Post 16 in Henderson.
Whittaker had a busy year in 2010. He successfully located a city bookkeeper who had embezzled more than $11,000 from an Ohio County community and who had fled to Mississippi. He was able to solve a 2008 case by locating the victim’s DNA on the undercarriage of the suspect’s vehicle, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence. He solved two Ohio County bank robberies from 2007 by locating a suspect in Tennessee. The subject was extradited back to Kentucky and is now awaiting trial on multiple charges. He tracked two subjects in the theft of almost $32,000 from a convenience store in Union County and located them in Indiana. As a result of his investigation, other unsolved thefts were cleared in Daviess and McCracken counties and in Indiana.
Whittaker was also credited with locating a subject in another Ohio County convenience store armed robbery in Nashville. The subject fled to Mississippi, committed a home invasion and was killed in a standoff with Mississippi authorities. He also investigated numerous sexual abuse and assault complaints, forgeries and burglaries while investigating four arson complaints as well.
Warsaw resident Officer Emily R. Horton was named the 2010 Jason Cammack Officer of the Year for the KSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. A three-year veteran of the division, Horton serves as a CVE Officer I in Region 3 based in Georgetown.
Officer Horton maintained a high level of activity in 2010, completing 1,050 vehicle inspections, issuing 528 commercial citations and 492 non-commercial citations and making 24 arrests. Her vehicle-out-of-service rate was 34.2 percent and driver-out-of-service rate was 4.5 percent.
KSP Post 5 in Campbellsburg also specifically requested Horton to assist in two drug suspect roundups and a drug interdiction detail. She also assisted in the transition of the Boone County and Kenton County weigh facilities to new and upgraded equipment and acted as a background investigator for CVE officer applicants.
The Governor’s Medal of Valor was presented to the late Tpr. Joe Ward of Post 2 in Madisonville, posthumously. It is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an officer of the agency for conspicuous heroism in the line of duty under circumstances of extreme personal hazard. It is awarded only by order of the Governor of the Commonwealth. The honor stems from a 1973 incident on the Pennyrile Parkway in Christian County when Tpr. Ward sacrificed his life while pushing a subject out of the path of an oncoming vehicle.
The KSP Citation for Bravery, an honor bestowed on officers of the agency who perform acts of bravery, without regard for personal risk, of clear and obvious peril and clearly above and beyond the call or risk of ordinary duty, was presented to:
Sgt. Jacqualine Pickrell, Post 10, Harlan
Sgt. Jennifer Sandlin, Post 9, Pikeville
Trooper’s Medals, awarded to officers who perform life-saving acts under extraordinary circumstances, were presented to:
Detective William C. Braden, II, Post 2, Madisonville
Detective Robert M. Harris, Post 12, Frankfort
Sgt. Marion Todd Jones, Drug Enforcement/Special Investigations West, Bowling Green
Tpr. Seth A. Lee, Post 4, Elizabethtown
The Citation for Meritorious Service with “V” Device for Valor, bestowed on officers of the agency who distinguish themselves by an act of courage performed under more than ordinary circumstances, was presented to:
Tpr. Jason Lanham, Post 3, Bowling Green
Tpr. Adam Morgan, Post 3, Bowling Green
Tpr. Jeremy Smith, Post 3, Bowling Green
Tpr. Robert R. Purdy, Recruitment Branch, Frankfort
Tpr. Joshua S. Lawson, Electronic Crime Branch, Frankfort
Sgt. Lonnie W. Bell, Post 16, Henderson
Tpr. Eric M. Dilback, Post 16, Henderson
Thomas M. Hampton, Jr., Post 16, Henderson
Tpr. Timothy A. Payne, Post 16, Henderson
Lt. Brooks Young, Post 16, Henderson
Tpr. Jeffrey Browning, Post 10, Harlan
The Citation for Meritorious Service, bestowed on officers of the agency who distinguish themselves by an act of meritorious service of such exceptional character that it contributed to the success of a major command or endeavor, was presented to:
Tpr. First Class Norman Chaffins, Jr., Post 4, Elizabethtown
KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer praised all of the honorees. “We salute all those who have chosen a life of service. They make a real difference in the lives of the citizen’s of Kentucky every day.”
Forestry Employee Awarded for Wildland Fire Prevention Efforts
Ricky Parnell, Forest Ranger Technician for Metcalfe County, (shown right) received the U.S. Forest Service's Robert E. Browning, Jr. Award from Brian Yager, District Forester for the South Central District Office.
Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) Ranger Technician Ricky Parnell recently received the Robert E. Browning, Jr. Award for his excellence in wildland fire prevention efforts. The U.S. Forest Service, Southern Region, selected Parnell for this honor based on his efforts to educate children and young adults about the dangers of forest fires. The award is given in honor of Robert E. Browning Jr., a South Carolina wildland firefighter who lost his life on Storm King Mountain, Colorado in 1994.
Parnell is a forest ranger technician in Metcalfe County and has been with KDF more than 11 years. As a forest ranger technician, Parnell fights forest fires, inspects timber harvest operations and conducts forest fire prevention education programs. He also works with residents, local officials and the media to help prevent and reduce the number of fires.
Leah MacSwords, KDF director and state forester, said, “Parnell is to be commended for his ability to relay such an important message to our communities. Educating our youth and encouraging them to become responsible citizens in protecting our forest resources could not be accomplished without the energetic work of field staff like Parnell.”
Governor’s Minority Management Trainee Program Graduates Class of 2011
Submitted by Colene Elridge, Personnel Cabinet
Front Row (seated): Marissia Izlar (CHFS), Rachel Holt (CHFS), Ideisha Bellamy CHFS), and Monica Valentine (KRS). Second Row: Durga Patil (EEC), Desi Brooks (J&PS) and Sandra Whiteside (CHFS). Third Row: Anthony Cummings (J&PS), Marietta Thompson (PER), Maridely Loyselle (EEC), Elwyn Rainer II (DVA), and Regina Walker (CHFS). Back Row: Harvey Baxter (KSP), George Scott (J&PS), Darnell Owens (F&A), and George Haynes II (EEC). Not Pictured: Marjorie Payne (CHFS).
On the same day as Oprah said good-bye to her audience, I too said good-bye to a group of individuals who have profoundly impacted my professional life. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not Oprah (even though I wish I was), and this was not a show witnessed by millions around the world, but both concluded a journey and both brought individuals to new stages in their lives.
The Governor's Minority Management Trainee Program or GMMTP was first founded in 1995. It was the first such program of its kind in the nation. This recruitment and professional development tool was established to increase the representation of minority managers within state government. GMMTP offers an experience that enables participants to cultivate the skills needed to serve Kentucky’s citizens in an effective and responsive manner. Participants receive in-depth, practical training through classroom instruction, on-the-job experience and special projects.
Approximately two-and-a-half years ago, the program was moved from the Governor’s Office to the Personnel Cabinet’s Office of Diversity & Equality. We took some time to examine the current program and took numerous steps to evaluate (focus groups, forums with former graduates, and surveys), and began the process to reshape the program. Some major changes included extending the length of the program from one to two years, incorporating a community service project and developing more specialized enrichment programs.
This year’s graduates took on the challenge of the new format and did so with determination and dedication. On May 25, we graduated 17 trainees who are and will be future leaders within the enterprise of state government. As the administrator of this program, it has been an amazing process to see the personal and professional growth of this year’s graduates. In a conversation with a graduate, she told me the most important thing she learned was the importance of “responding versus reacting” to a situation. She went on to say that distinguishing between the two can make or break a career. The skills learned during the program are important, but the lessons learned are imperative to the making of leaders.
I want to take a moment to encourage you to find the graduates in your cabinet and congratulate them on their accomplishment. Take some time to ask them about the program. Encourage minorities within your agency to apply for future programs. Do your part to make your workplace as inclusive as possible.
Should you have any questions regarding GMMTP, please feel free to contact me at ColeneH.Elridge@ky.gov.
Kentucky Insurance Commissioner Heads National Committee
 Kentucky Insurance Commissioner Sharon P. Clark has been named chairwoman of the Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
The committee monitors all aspects of the insurance market’s regulatory practices and reviews how those efforts affect insurance consumers. The committee was actively involved in national efforts to protect military personnel from inappropriate sales activities on U.S. military installations.
Clark also serves on the executive committee of the NAIC, is a member of the audit committee and is secretary for the group’s southeastern zone. She is a member and secretary of the National Insurance Producer Registry board and vice chairwoman of the NAIC’s National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers committee.
Appointed Kentucky’s insurance commissioner in 2008, Clark earlier served as the first director of the Consumer Protection and Education division at the Department of Insurance (DOI), a position she held for five years. Under her leadership, DOI hired its first ombudsman, added consumer education and outreach functions and strengthened enforcement efforts by expanding the number of consumer complaint investigators.
Arbor Day Foundation Elects State Forester to Board of Trustees
Kentucky State Forester Leah MacSwords to serve nationally
 The Arbor Day Foundation, the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees, recently elected Leah W. MacSwords, Kentucky’s state forester and director of the Kentucky Division of Forestry, to its Board of Trustees. In addition to serving as state forester for the past 10 years, MacSwords is recognized nationally for her work. She is a past president of the National Association of State Foresters, the current chairperson of the associations’ communications committee and a member of the Society of American Foresters. MacSwords also received the American Tree Farm Award for Sustained Excellence in 2009.
“The addition of MacSwords to the Board of Trustees will provide additional innovative leadership as the foundation continues to explore new ways to work with its partners to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees,” said John Rosenow, chief executive officer of the Arbor Day Foundation.
“Being part of an organization that has millions of members worldwide and does so much to promote the value of trees and forests is very exciting. I look forward to serving on the Arbor Day Foundation Board of Trustees,” said MacSwords.
The Arbor Day Foundation's work includes creating healthier urban forests through the Tree City USA community improvement program; helping to heal our nation's forests by replanting millions of trees in areas of federal- and state-managed forests damaged by disease and fire, providing resources to improve childhood development through daily interactions with the natural world; and preserving Latin American rain forests through conservation, shade-grown coffee farming and education programs. The Arbor Day Foundation plants more than 14 million trees annually.
The Division of Forestry operates under the direction of the Kentucky Department for Natural Resources (DNR) and is responsible for preventing and suppressing wildfires on state and private lands, as well as providing assistance to landowners and communities for the purpose of sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of our forests.
“This is a tremendous honor and I am extremely proud of Leah for her efforts in forest stewardship,” said DNR Commissioner Carl Campbell. “Our agency is dedicated to working with conservation organizations, and Leah’s leadership is critical to our goals in building partnerships with other resource professionals for the purpose of restoring Kentucky’s forests.”
Burgin Recognized for Savings to the State
 Transportation Cabinet Secretary Mike Hancock presented a Certificate of Distinction to Catherine Burgin, Division of Motor Carriers, Department of Vehicle Regulation, in recognition of her efforts to increase collection of taxes owed to the Commonwealth.
Burgin joined the division’s Tax and Financial Processing Branch in May 2009 and took over the tracking and collection of “return items” – checks that bounced for insufficient funds. Since her arrival, $923,667 has been recouped. The payment rate on return items increased from 73 percent in FY 2009 to 97 percent in FY 2010 and is 92.5 percent thus far in FY 2011.
Burgin is credited with streamlining the process, collaborating with the Division of Accounts, the Office of Legal Services and the state Treasury to ensure money owed is collected in a timely and efficient manner.
Congratulations to 2010 ESAC Safety Award Winners
Personnel Cabinet Secretary Tim Longmeyer presented safety awards at the June 28 Executive Safety Advisory Committee meeting. Six cabinets received updated plaques acknowledging their commitment to planning, developing and promoting workplace safety and 57 certificates were presented to departments, divisions and offices with no lost time injuries. Click here for a listing of winners and here for photos of award recipients.
2011 Kentucky Public Service Recognition Week Poster Contest
 The Personnel Cabinet is sponsoring a poster contest for school children, ages 6 to 18 years old. The contest is tied to the 2011 Kentucky Public Service Recognition Week in October. This contest provides an opportunity to increase the awareness among children of the achievements and contributions of state employees in the workplace and our communities. The theme is “State Employees – Making a Difference Every Day in Every Way.” The deadline for submitting a poster is Sept. 23, 2011.
There will be one winner in each age category: ages 6-9, ages 10-13 and ages 14-18. Each winner will receive a $100 savings bond and will be invited to attend the proclamation signing declaring Kentucky Public Service Recognition Week. For more information, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (502) 564-5595, (502) 564-5954 or visit the contest website.
Governor's Ambassador Awards Program Now Accepting Nominations
 The Personnel Cabinet is currently accepting nominations for this year’s Governor’s Ambassador Awards. The deadline for submitting a nomination is Aug. 31, 2011. The overall winner in each category will be announced at the ceremony. Recipients of the Governor’s Ambassador Award will receive special recognition by having an engraved, personalized brick placed outside the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. All nominees will be invited to attend the ceremony.
The Kentucky Governor’s Ambassador Award highlights stories of employees who have significantly and positively impacted the lives of their co-workers, customers, and community at-large in the areas of customer service, courage, leadership, professional achievement, teamwork or community service and volunteerism.
For more information and nomination forms, go to the Personnel Cabinet’s homepage at http://personnel.ky.gov or call (502) 564-5954.
Office of Employment and Training Introduces Employee Recognition Program
 Genuine recognition of performance is something people really appreciate. Every employee has a need for praise and recognition, and the more often they get it the better. Many of us are often in a position to give recognition, but few do it often enough.
Employee recognition can be given in many ways—through saying thank you, giving praise, providing opportunity or showing respect. Many studies on the work place have shown that being recognized for achievements, knowing that one's contributions matter to the organization and the opportunity for growth and professional development have a considerable impact on employee satisfaction and commitment.
The Office of Employment and Training is noted for having loyal, efficient and dedicated employees who provide valuable services to every citizen of the state. We are proud of this tradition of public service and the competent, committed and dedicated employees who provide these services to and for the state.
To express our appreciation to our valued employees, the Office of Employment and Training has adopted a new program of recognizing employees for committed, dedicated and outstanding service.
The purpose of the OET Employee Recognition Program is to:
- Provide management tools to recognize ongoing employee dedication, a means to reinforce and acknowledge significant contributions and retain employee commitment
- Educate Kentucky citizens about the significant contributions state government employees make to the quality of our lives, and
- Encourage morale among OET employees.
Annually, awards will be given to recognize customer service, leadership, community service, leadership, distinguished service, innovation and creativity, and the rookie of the year. In addition, we will celebrate WOW Wednesdays weekly. This award is an informal recognition that will be presented each Wednesday to each employee who deserves a compliment for going the “extra mile.”
With an understanding of how to engage employees with effective recognition, we believe we will see office morale change. We know that recognition doesn't come from programs; it comes from people. And we are very proud of our people.
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