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Barry C. Bryant of Raleigh;
Department of Crime Control and Public Safety
Governor's Crime Commission
Barry Bryant is the lead
planner for developing and implementing the State's Victims' of Crime Act.
Mr. Bryant keeps close watch on national trends and initiatives which could
impact victims' services in North Carolina.
He has been recognized nationally
for improving victim advocacy. Mr. Bryant was selected by the S.T.O.P.
Violence Against Women Technical Assistance Office to serve on an expert
domestic violence panel, making him one of the two state administrators
in the country to serve.
In an effort to provide
law enforcement officers with tools necessary to document physical injuries
at crime scenes, Mr. Bryant worked with Polaroid to secure photo documentation
equipment for North Carolina. He sent letters asking each police chief
and sheriff in the state for their camera requests. Mr. Bryant then coordinated
the officers in domestic violence and camera training. As a result of his
dedicated efforts, each domestic violence service provider in the state
received a Polaroid camera.
Mr. Bryant also worked with
the Violence Against Women grants office to secure funding and implement
Sexual Assault Nursing Examiner (SANE) training across North Carolina.
The SANE program provides extensive training for registered nurses in the
area of sexual assault examination techniques.
His meritorious service
has helped numerous victims deal with tragedies and crime.
Sherry C. Burris of
Waynesville; Employment Security Commission
In October 1996, Dayco Inc.
announced the closing of its facility in Haywood County, leaving 774 employees
without jobs. As the Dislocated Worker Specialist for Waynesville, Sherry
Burris unselfishly devoted her time and energy to help Dayco workers get
back on their feet despite a declining number of manufacturing facilities
in the area.
County leaders implemented
"Project Sunrise" to address the needs of the displaced workers. Ms. Burris
agreed to chair the project's "People Committee" which worked to pull together
all available resources to assist the workers. Ms. Burris spent many hours
of her own time organizing a benefits fair to address medical, retirement
and other issues which were critical to helping these individuals.
In addition to her regular
job duties, Ms. Burris also took on the responsibility of administering
NAFTA and TAA benefits for the Dayco employees. She has enrolled over 200
of the employees in various training, from GED to full curriculum programs.
She gave up holiday time to ensure that deadlines were met to get employees
into January classes.
Ms. Burris has dealt with
nearly all of the former Dayco employees. She has met with angry, frustrated
employees who blamed government for their predicament and did not want
to trust anyone directly connected to government programs. However, she
has remained calm, courteous and helpful in assisting these individuals
as they started a new phase in their lives.
Tamerha C. Dahmer of
Walkertown; Department of Health and Human Services
In 1989, Tamerha Dahmer
was working half time as a Clerk Typist in the North Central Regional Personnel
Office of the Department of Human Resources. She was taking computer courses
at the community college and recognized the potential for automating many
of her clerical duties. Based on her requests for capable software and
hardware, considerable progress was made in the administrative areas.
By 1995, she was promoted
as a Personnel Technician and indicated her desire to tackle the growing
concerns of repetitious manual activities, inadequate computer services
and vast demands for prompt and effective services from local agencies.
Ms. Dahmer worked to develop the in-house capabilities, write programs
to track applications and to maintain databases tracking positions and
pay plans. She then chaired the committee to implement a statewide
system, including the acquisition of compatible equipment for each office.
Pay plan reviews, salary
surveys for the region and letters for pay plan changes are being automatically
generated by computer rather than being manually entered. Even administrative
processes of maintaining directories of local agencies, printing envelopes,
letters, reports and logs are now automated.
Ms. Dahmer's dedication
to service has agencies receiving faster and more accurate responses, citizens
and potential employees getting answers and employment evaluations quicker,
and regional office staffs improving the delivery of their personnel services.
Ruth A. Strauss of Raleigh;
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Water Quality Division
In 1996, the North Carolina
Legislature mandated the adoption of risk-based rules for cleanup of petroleum-contaminated
soil and groundwater from underground storage tanks. This represented a
new, nationwide concept in environmental industry, and Ruth Strauss became
chair of the work group tasked with achieving this arduous task. Once in
place, it would put North Carolina in the forefront for adopting this new,
innovative approach.
Ms. Strauss was asked to
facilitate and chair a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency work group to achieve
this mandate. Her very methodic, even-tempered and open-minded approach
allowed her to do what experts warned against. Ms. Strauss articulated
a strong sense of environmental and public health protection, often placing
her at odds with different members of the work group. Throughout the process,
she showed herself as resourceful and creative in resolving issues, which
could have easily led to an impasse.
All the while, she kept
regional and central office staff up-to-date on the progress. She showed
the same commitment to the progress in developing rules for the project,
delivering the information to the public and addressing concerns about
the new approach.
Ms. Strauss showed herself
to be a skilled and patient negotiator. Without her determination, this
project may not have been completed, especially on the tight timetable
required. Under her guidance, the Water Quality Division took a giant step
forward toward cutting-edge environmental cleanups.
Tom Vitaglione of Raleigh;
Department of Health and Human Services
Women's and Children's
Health Division
Tom Vitaglione's position
as Chief of the Children and Youth Section made him the perfect choice
to develop the North Carolina Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). He
possessed the ability to work with legislators, health care and insurance
experts, advocacy groups and the general public to ensure improvement of
the health and development of the state's children.
Mr. Vitaglione is credited
for keeping the CHIP task force on target. He participated in town meetings
and legislative sessions while serving as key advisor to the Governor and
the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Mr. Vitaglione also convened
a state coalition in response to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Health
Kids Program to increase access to care for uninsured children. He is actively
exploring ways for public health to better address issues of family stress
while developing intervention services to reduce child abuse and neglect.
Under his leadership, a universal screening process for families at risk
of abuse or neglect is being developed. A statewide voluntary home-visiting
program supporting these families is also being put in place.
Mr. Vitaglione is known
across the state as an effective and caring steward of public resources.
In addition to dedicating his entire career to the state's children, he
encourages those around him to also be inclusive, imaginative and effective
for their sake.
State Surplus Property
Office; Department of Administration
Division of Purchase
and Contract
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