Receiving five-year service awards were (not in order and not all pictured) Blanca De Cardona, Lynn Laughter, Catrina Dodd, Jarred Burkett, Kara Currin, Jeffrey Diak, Ryan Halpin, Cody Weeks, Brenda Hoffmeyer, Benjamin Kenemer, Susan Beck, Rusty Gregg, Robbie Walka, Angela Olalde, Caitlin Pyne, Jessica Cleary, Oscar Fernandez Barrientos, Jillian Ownbey, Nicholas Souther, Sandy Duncan, Wanda Manis, Suzanne Blansit, Theresa Dempsey, Leslie Green, Kelly Azbill, Charles Blair, Jordan Brown, Jamie Franks, Allen Gallman, Keith Gray, William Mann, Barry Ownby, Joseph Splawn, Scotty Tate, Daniel Allen, Joshua Young, Ryan Hollingsworth, Freddie Ownbey, and Vickie Davis.
photo by Mitch Talley
Honored for 10 years of service to Whitfield County were (from left) Betty Bates, Cathy Knight, Jarrod Hayes, David Rodriguez, Twana Murphree, Richard Sims, Tracey Crawley, Anthony Cross, Chris Hester, Robert Buhl, Jesse Bond, Allison Lance, Phillip Bishop, Gerald Cooley, and Cameron Cox. Not pictured are Robert Cowan, Gaylord MacFadden, Wesley Gibson, and Michelle Garrison.
photo by Mitch Talley
Earning recognition for 15 years of service were (from left) Christopher Guay, David Hedden, William Beach, Donna Burnette, Ronnie Burns, Scott Stone, Andy Center, Loretta Walker, Billy Crowe, Nathan Center, Tanya Elrod, Jose Rivera, Jeremy McMillan, and Jeff Wells. Not pictured are Charlene Henson, Gale Hawkins, Stanley Williams, David Headrick, Adam Hill, Darren Pierce, Ryan Rogers, Todd Thompson, Amy Ramsey, Darrin Burnette, Christopher Bryant, and Craig Springfield.
photo by Mitch Talley
Recognized for 20 years of service to the county were (from left) Rhonda Franks, Sparky Kelehear, Bill Todd, Debbie Clark, Daniel Rann, Joel Gribble, Jeffrey Heatherly, Allan Kendrick, Ricky Lloyd, Paul Long, and Mark Parris. Not pictured are John Alton, Tena Ruddell, and Anthony McTaggart.
photo by Mitch Talley
Honored for 25 years of service were (from left) Rebecca Martin, Scott Chitwood, Danny Sane, Wayne Mathis, Roger Witt, and Dale Angland. Not pictured is John Gibson.
photo by Mitch Talley
Receiving awards for 30 years of service were (from left) Jeffery Silvers, Eric Phillips, Terry Warnix, and Robert Wilson.
photo by Mitch Talley
Three employees received 35-year service awards, including James Carlock. Not pictured are Gina Crider and Timothy Stephens.
photo by Mitch Talley
Tim Warnix of Information Technology was honored for 40 years of service to Whitfield County.
photo by Mitch Talley
Tim Warnix of Information Technology was honored for 40 years of service to Whitfield County.
photo by Mitch Talley
Tommy Jeffery of Public Works received an award for 45 years of service to the county.
photo by Mitch Talley
Tommy Jeffery of Public Works received an award for 45 years of service to the county.
photo by Mitch Talley
Retirees in 2018 were recognized during Whitfield County’s annual Employee Recognition Luncheon, including (from left) Brenda Arnold, Melva Andrews, and Clydine Tyson.
photo by Mitch Talley
Honored upon her retirement that will be effective Dec. 31, 2018 after 46½ years of service to Whitfield County was Melva Andrews of the Finance Department. She’s congratulated by county commissioners (from left) Greg Jones, Roger Crossen, Barry Robbins, Harold Brooker, and Lynn Laughter.
photo by Mitch Talley
Honored upon her retirement that will be effective Dec. 31, 2018 after 46½ years of service to Whitfield County was Melva Andrews of the Finance Department. She’s congratulated by county commissioners (from left) Greg Jones, Roger Crossen, Barry Robbins, Harold Brooker, and Lynn Laughter.
photo by Mitch Talley
Richard Rogers holds his trophy after being named 2018 Whitfield County Employee of the Year. He’s congratulated by (from left) commissioner Greg Jones, Public Works Director DeWayne Hunt, and commissioners Barry Robbins, Roger Crossen, Harold Brooker, and Lynn Laughter.
photo by Mitch Talley
The signs, you might say, pointed directly to Richard Rogers as Whitfield County’s Employee of the Year for 2018.
For the past 23 years, Mr. Rogers has been a member of the Sign and Signal Maintenance Crew for the Public Works department. He and his co-workers have been responsible for installing and maintaining more than 20,000 signs and seven signal lights during that time.
Mr. Rogers received a plaque and a $1,000 bonus after receiving the award during the annual Whitfield County Employee Recognition Luncheon held Dec.
12 at Edwards Park.
When he began his career with the county more than 30 years ago, Mr. Rogers operated heavy equipment as part of the grade crew during the construction of the South By-Pass, followed by several years of operating a tractor as part of the Right-of-Way Mowing Crew.
County officials praised Mr. Rogers as “a model for both new and seasoned employees alike,” saying that “for over 30 years he has consistently demonstrated integrity, respect, focus, flexibility, and pride. These fundamental values help him provide great service to citizens and serve him well in his daily life.”
Mr. Rogers is a proud husband, father, and an especially proud grandfather. He has attended Mt. Mariah Baptist Church for the last 22 years and is a member of the choir.
Others nominated for the annual honor were Employees of the Month Tina Curtis, Juvenile Court, December 2017; Anna Meadors, Buildings & Grounds, January 2018; Tim Suits, Clerk of Court/Fire, February; Ronald Morris, Sheriff, March; Judy Castaneda, Magistrate Court, May; Jamie Haynes, Sheriff, June; Ronnie Burns, Sheriff, August; Marshall Lynch Jr., Drug Court, September; and Jaime Cunningham, E-911, October.
Commission Chairman Lynn Laughter told the workers that she was grateful for their service to the community.
“We think a lot between Thanksgiving and Christmas how thankful we are, how blessed we are, to live in this community, to have jobs and have food,” she said, “so I want you all to know – and I’m sure all the commissioners agree with me on this – we are very, very thankful for each of you. We know it’s been a year of very hard work, and we appreciate the work that you do and the quality of the work that you do. And that goes for every single person here – so thank you. I cannot thank you enough. I appreciate how well you all work together and I think that our employees of Whitfield County are actually the biggest asset that the county has, so again thank you for your service.”
Retirees in 2018 were also recognized during the luncheon, including Melva Andrews, Finance, employed June 19, 1972 to Dec. 31, 2018; Brenda Arnold, Buildings & Grounds, April 25, 2007-Dec. 31, 2018; Thomas Elkins, Public Works, Feb. 22, 1994-May 31, 2018; Gale M. Hawkins, Sheriff’s Office, Feb. 24, 2003-May 31, 2018; and Clydine Tyson, Finance, Sept. 25, 2006-Dec. 31, 2018.
Commissioners Laughter, Harold Brooker, Roger Crossen, Greg Jones, and Barry Robbins joined to present service awards to dozens of employees, including:
5 Years
Blanca De Cardona and Lynn Laughter, Board of Commissioners; Catrina Dodd, Finance; Jarred Burkett, Kara Currin, Jeffrey Diak, Ryan Halpin, and Cody Weeks, Correctional Center; Brenda Hoffmeyer, Benjamin Kenemer, and Susan Beck, District Attorney; Rusty Gregg, Information Technology; Robbie Walka, Juvenile Court; Angela Olalde, Probate Court; Caitlin Pyne, Public Defender; Jessica Cleary, Oscar Fernandez Barrientos, Jillian Ownbey, and Nicholas Souther, Sheriff’s Office; Sandy Duncan and Wanda Manis, Tax Assessor; Suzanne Blansit, Theresa Dempsey, and Leslie Green, Tax Commissioner; Kelly Azbill, E-911; Charles Blair, Jordan Brown, Jamie Franks, Allen Gallman, Keith Gray, William Mann, Barry Ownby, Joseph Splawn, and Scotty Tate, Fire Department; Daniel Allen and Joshua Young, Public Works; Ryan Hollingsworth and Freddie Ownbey, Recreation Department; and Vickie Davis, Transit.
10 Years
Betty Bates, Board of Commissioners; Robert Cowan, Board of Elections; Cathy Knight, David Rodriguez, and Richard Sims, Correctional Center; Tracey Crawley, Engineering Department; Jesse Bond, Robert Buhl, and Gaylord N. MacFadden, Fire Department; Allison Lance, Juvenile Court; Phillip Bishop, Gerald Cooley, Cameron Cox, Wesley Gibson, and Jarrod Hayes, Sheriff’s Office; Michelle Garrison, Tax Assessor; Twana Murphree, Tax Commissioner; Anthony Cross, E-911; and Chris Hester, Engineer.
15 Years
Charlene Henson, Finance; Gale Hawkins and David Hedden, Buildings & Grounds; William Beach, Donna Burnette, Ronnie Burns, Andy Center, Billy Crowe, Tanya Elrod, Jeremy McMillan, Scott Stone, Loretta Walker, and Stanley Williams, Correctional Center; Nathan Center, Christopher Guay, David Headrick, Adam Hill, Darren Pierce, Jose Rivera, Ryan Rogers, Todd Thompson, and Jeff Wells, Sheriff’s Office; Amy Ramsey, EMA; Darrin Burnette, Fire Department; and Christopher Bryant and Craig Springfield, Public Works.
20 Years
Rhonda Franks and Sparky Kelehear, Board of Elections; John Alton, Correctional Center; Bill Todd, Inspections & Enforcement; Debbie Clark, Probate Court; Daniel Rann, Sheriff’s Office; Joel Gribble and Tena Ruddell, Tax Commissioner; Jeffrey Heatherly, Allan Kendrick, and Ricky Lloyd, Fire Department; and Paul Long, Anthony McTaggart, and Mark Parris, Public Works.
25 Years
Rebecca Martin, Public Defender; Scott Chitwood, John Gibson, and Wayne Mathis, Sheriff’s Office; Danny Sane, Tax Commissioner; Roger Witt, Fire Department; and Dale Angland, Public Works.
30 Years
Jeffery Silvers, District Attorney; Eric Phillips, Tax Assessor; and Terry Warnix and Robert Wilson, Fire Department.
35 Years
Gina Crider, Sheriff’s Office; Timothy Stephens, Fire Department; and James Carlock, Public Works.
40 Years
Tim Warnix, Information Technology.
45 Years
Tommy Jeffery, Public Works.
Also earning special thanks for their hard work putting the event together was the Recognition Lunch Committee that included Jennifer Jones, chairperson, Shannon Chandler, and Missy Williams, all of the Tax Assessor’s Office; Cindy Sherrod, Information Technology; Diane Franklin, Animal Shelter; Chief Ed O’Brien, Fire Department; and the Recreation Department, Buildings & Grounds, 911/EMA, Public Works, and Human Resources teams.