Governor LePage Honors State Employees for Exceptional Service at Blaine House Ceremony

For Immediate Release: Thursday, Dec. 12 Contact: Adrienne Bennett, Press Secretary, 207-287-2531

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