Deputy Jarrod Hayes Named Whitfield County Employee Of The Year

  • Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Going above and beyond seems to be the way Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jarrod Hayes has approached his job since joining the county in 2008 as a detention officer.

Deputy Hayes went beyond the regular requirements of that position and completed the Basic Law Enforcement certification in 2010, earning a promotion to the rank of deputy sheriff later that year.

This year, Deputy Hayes asked to be considered for the open position of school resource officer at Southeast Whitfield High School (his alma mater) and was chosen to fill the position by the Sheriff’s Office and an oral interview board from the Whitfield County School System.

“As a deputy sheriff in the Uniform Patrol Division, Hayes was a very hard worker,” a county spokesman said. “He often received compliments in reference to his dedication to duty from his peers, supervisors, and the general public, showing a great work ethic and a positive attitude. He is described by his co-workers and the public as compassionate, proactive, professional, and genuine. He is always willing to do anything that is asked, including coming to work on his scheduled off time when needed. At Southeast Whitfield, the department has once again received nothing but compliments in regard to his job performance from the school administration.”

For his unending dedication to the community and outstanding performance, Deputy Hayes was honored as Whitfield County’s Outstanding Employee of the Year for 2014.

Other Employees of the Month over the past 12 months considered for the annual award included Danny Roach, Fire Department; Missy Brown, Tax Assessor’s Office; Jason Azbill, Fire Department; Keith Holtzclaw and Suzi Thorne, Sheriff’s Office; Jennifer Richardson, Juvenile Court; Cathy Taylor, Building Inspections; Paula Headrick, Tax Assessor’s Office; and Michael Hawkins and Dia Curtis, Sheriff’s Office.

Commissioners Mike Babb and Harold Brooker presented the award to Deputy Hayes during the county’s annual Employee Recognition Luncheon on Dec. 3 at the county recreation department gymnasium.

Retirees during 2014 were also honored, including Ben Phillips, Magistrate Court, 13 years of service; Betty Ledford, Tax Commissioner’s Office, 13 years; Carl Collins, Fire Chief, 35 years; Dale Bennett, Sheriff’s Office, 14 years; Glenda Parks, Buildings & Grounds, 12 years; Kenneth Rogers, Tax Commissioner’s Office, 20 years; Lauren Duncan, Sheriff’s Office, 26 years; Marcella McDade, Tax Commissioner’s Office, 21 years; Nellie Rigsby, Buildings & Grounds,  20 years; and Trammell Suddeth, Tax Assessor, 45 years.

Service awards were presented to several employees, including the following:

Five Years

Mike Babb and Harold Brooker, Board of Commissioners; Christopher Griffin, Magistrate Court; Sheri Blevins, Probate Court; Dennis Bryant, Franklin Davis, Robert Mashburn, and Larry Styles, Transportation; Holli Fields, Buildings & Grounds; Twana Murphree, Tax Commissioner’s Office; Kelly Thompson and Kimberly Griffin, E-911; Mitch Talley, Public Relations; Judy Castaneda, Magistrate Court; Greg Williams, Inspections and Enforcement; and Jeff Shields, Correctional Center.

10 Years

Lee Fields and Keith Hall, Buildings & Grounds; Tracy Davis, Debra Hall, Eric Leatherwood, Charity Pack,  Haley Pelfrey, and Christopher Scoggins, Correctional Center; Jeffery Arp, E-911; Michael Murphree, Fire; Jess Hansen, Information Technology; Sean Kean, Juvenile Court; Craig Trollinger, Public Works; Christopher Callahan, Darrell Hackney Jr., and Scott McAllister, Sheriff’s Office; and Hilda Ortiz, Superior Court.

15 Years

Jeff Ownby, EMA; Dwayne Tinsley, Public Works; Christopher Short, Recreation; Mike Miracle and Timmy Ponders, Fire; Annie Hyde, Probate Court; Betty Alton, Clerk of Superior Court; William Morgan, Public Works; Jesse Stewart, Correctional Center; Robert Stephens, Public Works; William Holloway, Tax Assessor’s Office; Todd Hegwood, Fire; Rebecca Vance, Tax Commissioner’s Office; Michael Parrish, Public Works; Jason Mathis, Fire; Gordon Teems II, Sheriff’s Office; and Barbara Hasty, Public Works.

20 Years

Lynn Elkins, Public Works; Kim Richards and Gary Smith, Fire; Rebecca Kyle, Clerk of Superior Court; Phillip White and Grady Maddron, Public Works; Bobby Blackwell, Buildings & Grounds;  Herman Evans, Public Works; Nellie Rigsby, Buildings & Grounds; Freda Maynard, Magistrate Court; and Cindy Bishop, Tax Commissioner’s Office.

25 Years

Robert Randolf Jr., Public Works; Jimmy Thorne, Correctional Center; Terry Bryson, Public Works; Phillip Herren, Sheriff’s Office; and Jennifer Jones, Tax Assessor’s Office.

30 Years

Maurice Moody, Fire.

35 Years

Carl Collins, Fire.

40 Years

Ricky Swiney, Sheriff’s Office.

45 Years

Trammell Suddeth, Tax Assessor’s Office.

The commissioners thanked the Recognition Lunch Committee for their efforts, including Jennifer Jones, chairperson, Shannon Chandler, and Missy Williams, all from the Tax Assessor’s Office; Cindy Sherrod, Information Technology; Debbie Roper, Recreation Department; Brenda Holcomb, Tax Assessor’s Office; and Robin Gravitt, Human Resources.

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