Deputy Diak Named Whitfield County Employee Of The Year; Dozens More Recognized At Luncheon

A year in the spotlight continued for Deputy Jeff Diak, named Whitfield County Outstanding Employee of the Year during the annual Employee Recognition Luncheon on Dec. 4 at Edwards Park.

“This employee has excelled in his different positions within the Sheriff’s Office and is well liked by his co-workers, is trustworthy, very dependable, shows initiative in his daily work and demonstrates a strong work ethic.

"Earlier this year, this employee demonstrated more of his personal qualities by reminding us of the importance of selflessness and doing ‘the right thing,’” Commission Chairman Lynn Laughter said before announcing Deputy Diak as the winner of the award for 2019.

In January, Deputy Diak donated a kidney to co-worker David Headrick, who has since returned to the job and attended the annual recognition luncheon.  Later in the year, Deputy Diak won a new car from a local dealership as part of a contest honoring people who made a difference in the community. 

“Thank you, Deputy Jeff Diak, 2019 Employee of the Year, for your generosity and for making a difference in our workplace,” Comm. Laughter said.

Deputy Diak is a graduate of Northwest Whitfield High School and served his country for four years in the United States Marine Corps, attaining the rank of corporal. Once he left the Marines, he came back to Dalton and worked for local private entities until 2013, when he joined the Sheriff’s Office.

Others considered for the annual Employee of the Year award were monthly winners Shawn Damon, Fire Department; Jonathan Hayes, Tax Asssessor; Josh Ray, Public Works; Valeria Molina, Human Resources; Teresa Tucker, Buildings & Grounds; and Marcy Dyer, Sheriff’s Office.

Retirees in 2019 also received special recognition, including Haynes Townsend, Magistrate, Jan. 1, 1997-March 31, 2019; Fran Rice, Sheriff’s Office, Oct. 9, 1985 to May 31, 2019 (passed away June 18, 2019); Cathy Knight, Sheriff’s Office, Dec. 29, 2008 to Sept. 30, 2019; Freda Maynard, Magistrate Court, Oct. 10, 1994 to Nov. 30, 2019; and William Holloway, Tax Assessor – Property Appraiser, June 14, 1999 to Dec. 31, 2019.

Two dedicated veteran employees who passed away in 2019 from cancer, but continued to work as much as they could while battling the disease for years – Lt. Fran Rice of the Sheriff’s Office and Dale Angland of Public Works - were also fondly remembered by their fellow workers, including with a special “In Memoriam” table set up in the lobby.

Commissioners Laughter, Harold Brooker, Roger Crossen, Greg Jones and Barry Robbins joined to present service awards to dozens of employees, including:

Five Years
Kay Anderson and Melissa Barton, Clerk of Superior Court; Kory Bain, Melissa Broom, Joshua Kyle, Rosalia Pacheco-Hernandez, Marie Padgett, Christopher Patterson, Rhonda Souther, and Shannon Brewer, Correctional Center; Ana Covarrubias and Erica Salazar, District Attorney; Donna Hardin, Magistrate Court; Ronnie Allen, James Crawford, Brandon Fincher, Amy Gallman, Taylor Harper, Christopher Hicks, and Casey Millsaps, Sheriff’s Office; Cathy Smith, Tax Commissioner; Diane Franklin and Rhonda Thomas, Animal Shelter; Blake Cook, Ed O’Brien, and James Warnix, Fire Department; Daniel Ray, Zachary Sims, and Clyde Williams, Public Works; Jeff Sosebee, Tyson Berry, Alejandra Lugo, and Ashley O’Donald, Tax Assessor; and Hope Cady and Alecia Reed, Tax Commissioner. 

10 Years
Harold Brooker and Mitch Talley, Board of Commissioners; Christopher Cooper, Buildings & Grounds; Jeff Shields, Correctional Center; Greg Williams, Inspections & Enforcement; Judy Castaneda and Christopher Griffin, Magistrate Court; and Kelly Thompson and Sheri Blevins, Probate Court.

15 Years
Brian Hall, Buildings & Grounds; Lee Fields, Debra Hall, Eric Leatherwood, and Christopher Scoggins, Correctional Center; Christopher Callahan, Darrell Hackney, Scott McAllister, and Charity Pack, Sheriff’s Office; Hilda Ortiz, Superior Court; Jess Hansen, Engineering; Michael Murphree, Fire Department; and Craig Trollinger, Public Works.

20 Years
Betty Alton, Clerk of Superior Court; Jesse Stewart, Correctional Center; Jeff Ownby, Emergency Management; William Holloway, Tax Assessor; Rebecca Vance, Tax Commissioner; Todd Hegwood, Jason Mathis, and Jason Miracle, Fire Department; Barbara Hasty, William Morgan, Dwayne Tinsley, and Michael Parrish, Public Works; and Christopher Short, Recreation Department.

25 Years
Bobby Blackwell, Buildings & Grounds; Rebecca Kyle and Susan Franklin, District Attorney; Freda Maynard, Magistrate Court; Cindy Bishop, Tax Commissioner; Kimberly Mathis and Gary Smith, Fire Department; and Herman Evans, Grady Maddron, and Phillip White, Public Works.

30 Years
Jennifer Jones, Tax Assessor, and Terry Bryson and Robert Randolph, Public Works.

35 Years
Maurice Moody, Fire Department

Also earning special thanks for their hard work putting the event together was the Recognition Lunch Committee that included Jennifer Jones, chairperson, and Shannon Chandler of the Tax Assessor’s Office; Cindy Sherrod, Information Technology; Diane Franklin, Animal Shelter; and teams from the Recreation Department, Buildings & Grounds,  911/EMA, Public Works and Human Resources.