Employee Awards Given for Information Technology, Winter Lights and Holiday Giving Efforts

FROM CITY OF GAITHERSBURG:

Gaithersburg, MD – (February 23, 2011).  At the Mayor and City Council meeting on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz and City Manager Angel Jones joined Employee Recognition Awards Committee member Doris Stokes to present Employee and Team of the Quarter Awards for the fourth quarter of 2010.  Receiving the awards were Brian Helms, System Support Manager with the Information Technology Department, the Winter Lights Operation Staff, and the Holiday Giving Coordination Team.  

Made up of peers from each department, the Employee Recognition Committee reviews nominations for individuals and teams on a quarterly basis.  Guidelines provide for a maximum of two individual and two team awards in each quarter.  Quarterly winners are entered into nomination for the annual Employee and Team of the Year Awards. 

Brian Helms was recognized for being a dedicated employee who works above and beyond normal business hours to ensure that critical projects are completed in a timely manner to the highest level of quality possible.  Recent projects for which he has taken the lead include the conversion of the City Hall Council Chambers to allow for new technology, the replacement of the City’s website content management system, and the implementation of a new software permitting package for Planning and Code Administration.  These projects are very technical, time consuming, and present many logistical challenges, which Helms has managed deftly.  His work ethic is a model for all City employees, and his good natured manner in working with City staff ensures high morale throughout the process.

The Winter Lights Operations Staff, comprised of JR Smith, Joe Crum, Caleb Wright, Salvador Carmona, Edwin Alvarez, Alberto Aguilar-Solano, Paul Morgan, Mark Smith,. Rodney Hall, Larry Ellis, Ricardo Daniel, Donald Miller, Mark Schaffer, and Kevin Younkins, all with Public Works, was nominated for their hard work to ensure the success of the annual Winter Lights Festival.  The event had to be set up a week earlier than in previous years to accommodate a new revenue-generating run/walk through the lights.  They erected 380 displays, changed more than 7,000 light bulbs, and ran seven miles of electrical cord, all in record time.  These extraordinary individuals consistently demonstrate dedication and hard work to ensure that the Festival continues its reputation as an anticipated holiday tradition in this region.

The Holiday Giving Team included Maureen Herndon, Sandra Dawson, Shanthi Srinivasachar, Crystal Carr, and Katie McKenna (Community & Public Relations ), Maura Dinwiddie and Gardner Torrence (Parks, Recreation & Culture), Wally DeBord, Ritchie Dikeman and Norman Cornejo (Public Works), Laura Morales and Kathy Fairfield (Police), Gilma Climaco (Human Resources), and Betty Woods (Finance & Administration).  The team was recognized for their extraordinary efforts to increase and maximize donations, use technology and effective marketing to attract new donors, and forge new partnerships to serve City residents in need during the Thanksgiving and December holidays. 

In this struggling economy, the City received 250 more requests for assistance than in 2009.  With a tremendous level of interdepartmental collaboration and a commitment to outstanding customer service, the Holiday Giving Team helped to provide Thanksgiving meals to over 800 City residents, and provided food, gifts and toys to nearly 2,600 residents during the December holidays. 

For more information on the awards program and the individuals recognized, please contact the Office of the City Manager at 301-258-6310 or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.