Brooke Brady of Whitfield 911 holds the trophy she received after being named Whitfield County Employee of the Year for 2021. She’s congratulated by 911 Director David Metcalf.
When 911 telecommunicators answer the phone, they never know what emergency awaits them.
Brooke Brady answered such a call on May 23 when the voice on the other end pleaded for help with a three-week-old baby who wasn’t breathing. Ms. Brady quickly used her extensive training to help the mother and father start CPR right away and got the baby breathing again before responders from Whitfield County Fire and Hamilton EMS arrived on scene.
After those life-saving efforts, Ms. Brady was named Whitfield County Employee of the Year during the annual Employee Recognition Luncheon held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday.
“This employee has shown exemplary individual achievement, contribution and performance in their job and other related duties beyond their own department,” Commission Chairman Jevin Jensen read before announcing Ms.
Brady as the winner of the annual award. “This person’s efforts through the years have inspired and supported the performance and achievements of others within the county.”
After joining the county in January 2018, Ms. Brady has completed the certification for the Georgia Crisis Intervention Team and All Hazards Tactical Dispatch Team and is completing her advanced certification, requiring 275 hours of additional training outside of work.
“All these skills and training have helped her to be an outstanding employee and great asset to the community of Whitfield County,” Chairman Jensen said.
Other Employees of the Month, who were also eligible for Employee of the Year, were Rhonda Franks, Board of Elections; Latasha Heflin, Public Defender; Adrian Gomez, Christopher Guay and Jason Sullivan, Sheriff’s Office; Jeff Howard, Transit; Eric Phillips, Tax Assessor’s Office; Rosa Lopez and Donny Jones, Correctional Center; Steven Grigsby, Engineering; and Paula Walker, Recreation.
Also honored during the luncheon was Buildings & Grounds Director Chuck Fetzer, who received the first-ever Leader of the Year award for his "outstanding efforts" since taking over for Gary Brown, who retired in 2020.
Retirees during 2021 were recognized, including Tim Warnix, Information Technology, 43 years; Darlene Crider, Sheriff’s Office, 38; Maurice Moody, Fire, 37; Kevin McDermott, Fire, 35; Micky Saylors, Sheriff’s Office, 35; Bobby Wilson, Fire, 33; Eric Phillips, Tax Assessor’s Office, 33; Carl Desmond, Public Works, 31; Claude Craig, E-911, 29; John Gibson, Sheriff’s Office, 29; Cindy Bishop, Tax Commissioner’s Office, 27; Russell Barefoot, Fire, 26; Pamela Jackson, Tax Commissioner’s Office, 24; William Hester, Public Works, 24; John Alton, Sheriff’s Office, 23; Eloise Dockery, Tax Commissioner’s Office, 21; Charlene Henson, Finance, 18; and Donny Jones, Correctional Center, 9.
Service awards were presented by the Board of Commissioners to the following employees:
5 Years
Amanda Grossman, Buildings & Grounds; Carol Byers, Board of Elections; Randall Boyd, Christian Chadwick, Jacob Chester, Wade Emmett, Garner Hall, Justin Hutcherson, Jesse Jones, Austin Ridley, and Jonathan Wakefield, Fire; Alina Escutia, Probate Court; Brandon Cannon and Micah Gates, Public Defender; Joshua Locke, Public Works; Kelvin Locke, Recreation; James Brownlee, Lavern Figg, Brian Pack, Cory Spence, Charles Spivey, Jared Southern, and Ezekiel Weaver, Sheriff’s Office; and Michael Brumlow, Tax Assessor.
10 Years
Justin Crump, Clerk of Superior Court; Rosa Rich, Correctional Center; Larry Taylor, Information Technology; Samantha Gregg, Public Works; Sebastian Salazar and Ozzy Warren, Sheriff’s Office; and Dixon White, Tax Assessor.
15 Years
Joshua Cherry, 911; Steve Adams, Buildings & Grounds; Kimberly Fowler, Correctional Center; Gary Hutchison, County Engineer; Danny Adams, Jason Azbill, Robert Jones, Robert Kendall, Joshua Key, Ranon Blake, Lawrence K. Lawless, and Thomas Wesley, Fire; Brandi Gilbert and Amanda Stewart-Smith, Juvenile Court; Gregory Adam Long, James McCurdy, and James McDonald, Public Works; Kenneth Jeremy Henderson, Sheriff; David Brian Palmer and Karen Weeks, Tax Assessor; and Vesta Lynn Hefner, Brenda Killian, and Kimberly Kittle, Tax Commissioner.
20 Years
Victoria Lynn Caylor, 911; Shawn Giles and Charles Meadors, Correctional Center; Rick Lovelady, IT; Timothy McBrayer, Tax Assessor.
25 Years
Deborah Howard, Court Administration; Nancy Casteel and Betsy Gribble, Clerk of Superior Court; Mark P. Higgins, District Attorney; Christopher Dempsey, Gary Hamrick, and Chris West, Fire; Gregory J. Long, Public Works; and Christopher Brunson and Shawn Scott Lance, Sheriff.
30 Years
Cynthia Sherrod, IT.
35 Years
Kerry Page, Correctional Center; Kevin McDermott, Fire; Torre Mike Turner, Public Works; Debbie Roper, Recreation; and Micky Saylors and Tammy Silvers, Sheriff.
40 Years
William T. Boyett, Superior Court Judge.
45 Years
Cynthia Thornton, Tax Assessor.
The Recognition Lunch Committee received thanks for their efforts organizing the luncheon, including Jennifer Jones, chairperson, and Shannon Chandler with the Tax Assessor’s Office; Diane Franklin of the Animal Shelter; and teams from Buildings & Grounds, 911/EMA, Engineering, and Human Resources.
Buildings & Grounds Director Chuck Fetzer (second from left) was named Whitfield County’s first-ever Leader of the Year, shown with (from left) Commission Chairman Jevin Jensen and commissioners Greg Jones, John Thomas, Robby Staten and Barry Robbins.