Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction 2008 Employee Excellence Awards
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DRC Employee of the Year
Steve Riffle, Corrections Training Academy
Steve Riffle, Network Administrator at the Corrections Training Academy (CTA), has been selected as the DRC Employee of the Year for 2008.
He is a valued team player who always goes above and beyond. Recently, Mr. Riffle was part of the IT team that implemented the DRC VBrick Library, an online resource that houses videos and other training materials. Steve is also a part of a committee that has been instrumental in implementing and developing e-learning initiatives at CTA.
Correction Officer of the Year
Ralph Lloyd, LorCI
Corrections Officer Ralph Lloyd from the Lorain Correctional Institution (LorCI) was selected by his peers as the winner of the prestigious award. Officer Lloyd began his career at Lorain in 1994 and has made many significant contributions to the facility. He participated in the creation of the Hispanic Heritage Committee and organized a Hispanic Heritage Luncheon during which he coordinated and directed staff volunteers in feeding over 300 employees. Officer Lloyd is the Chief Hostage Negotiator at Lorain and the Region 2 HNT Assistant Commander. He has become an effective negotiator and has demonstrated his ability to effectively reduce volatile situations to peaceful resolutions. During the course of his career, Officer Lloyd has matured into a leader and his “do the right thing” attitude is a positive example for his fellow officers. Officer Lloyd is also the Vice President of the Lorain Chapter of the Pride Motorcycle Club, a group dedicated to raising money for officers who are facing difficult times. Recently they donated $650 to the family of an officer from Grafton Correctional Institution who had been diagnosed with cancer.
Parole Officer of the Year
Rick Harmon, Lima APA
Officer Rick Harmon began his career with the APA in 1995. Prior to this, he served in the U.S. Navy and worked in corrections in California. Rick was selected for Parole Officer of the Year for his leadership efforts in delivering sex offender services to offenders in Shelby County. Rick also served as the Acting Reentry Coordinator in the region, where he assisted his fellow Parole Officers in identifying appropriate reentry services for the wide variety of offenders in the Lima Region.
DPCS Employee of the Year
Robert (Bobby) Burdette, Chillicothe APA
After graduating from Hocking Technical College and serving four years in the U.S. Navy, Bobby began his career in corrections by serving as a corrections officer. In 2002, Bobby moved to a Parole Officer position in the Chillicothe Region, where he has supervised offenders in Morgan and Perry Counties. Bobby was selected for Employee of the Year for his unselfish heroism in stopping on his way to the office to assist a friend, and, when discovering that a nearby residence was engulfed in fire, entering the burning building to assist and evacuate the residents.
Teacher of the Year
Michael Peck
Michael Peck, Ohio Reformatory for Women, was named the Ohio Teacher of the Year by the Correctional Education Association.
Mr. Peck has been employed as a special education teacher for the past eight years. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Cedarville University and a Master of Education from Wright State University. Mr. Peck has been active in CEA-O since 2004. Among his many outside community activities, he has assisted with the State Special Olympics, the Union County American Red Cross, and the State Council of Professional Educators as site representative.
Training Officer of the Year
Steve Mannon
Steve Mannon, Training Officer at the North Central Correctional Institution, has been selected as 2008 Training Officer of the Year. Steve is a 21 year employee of the Department, serving the past 9 years at North Central. He holds instructor certifications in firearms, communications, instructional skills, HNT, and Peer Today/Boss Tomorrow.
Steve has assisted in the creation of the Marion County Gang Task Force and has coached high school football for 15 years. He recently completed his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and is currently enrolled in a Master's program.
Steve's commitment to training and developing staff has been a driving force that not only helped NCCI obtain 100% compliance with training standards during a recent audit, but also ensures that those with whom he works, receive quality, professional instruction.
Medical Services Employee of the Year
Sheri Williams
Sheri Williams, RN at the Ross Correctional Institution, is the 2008 Medical Services Employee of the Year. Ms. Williams is dependable and completes scheduled assignments with professionalism. She is very detailed and has worked diligently with the chronic care clinics, greatly reducing expenditures through her development of tracking tools. She has demonstrated the ability to handle large amounts of work in short periods of time and responds quickly to instruction and learns quickly. She is a proven leader and has earned the respect of co-workers and her supervisor. She is further recognized for assisting with instructing classes at the Health Care Academy.
Mental Health Services Employee of the Year
Nicolle Brooks
Nicolle Brooks, Administrative Assistant at Central Office, is the 2008 Mental Health Employee of the Year. Ms. Brooks is being recognized for her organizational skills, motivation, job performance, loyalty and dependability. She has worked extensively with policy revisions and has provided steadfast support in this area. In addition, she has developed and expanded a Web page, co-developed a workshop on women's issues, and has established a fund to pay the expenses of high school students who wish to participate in sports activities.
Recovery Services Employee of the Year
Donna Thomas
Donna Thomas, Recovery Services Supervisor at the Ohio State Penitentiary, is the 2008 Recovery Services Employee of the Year. Ms. Thomas has worked through many challenges of meeting the needs of high security offenders with substance abuse issues. Through hard work and coordination with many other departments, she has successfully met these challenges and conceptualized programs to include the Health Lifestyles Program. Ms. Thomas is a leader and a positive role model. She is recognized for her innovative programs, involvement with training, encouragement of staff education and her work with the CIST teams.