NCDENR - Division of Air Quality - Employee Recognition



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Employee >> Recognition

Recognizing Service Excellence

1999 Employee Recognition Awards

Employee of the Year

Brian Phillips - Mobile Sources Branch

Above: Secretary Bill Holman presents 1999 DAQ Employee of the Year award to Brian Phillips.

Brian Phillips led the Stage I Gasoline Vapor Recovery "sweeps" over the past 18 months. During this time, the statewide "Vapor Recovery Implementation Index" soared from 77% to 94%. This index is a measure of compliance and effectiveness for 7,000 gasoline dispensing facilities.

The success of the Stage I effort was a direct reflection of Brian's personal efforts. Whether it was resolving technical issues, addressing database problems, coordinating a thousand inspections by dozens of inspectors in all 100 counties, herding through hundreds of enforcement cases, encouraging his sometimes reluctant co-workers, or showing admirable restraint when taking phone calls from irate tank owners and equipment installers, Brian went above and beyond what was expected.

Comments from Brian's peers confirm him to be a conscientious, knowledgeable, friendly, and patient man. People know they can approach Brian for help on any task, whether it's in the normal scope of his job duties or not. Finally, Brian's role as the original "Air Avenger" further testifies to his reputation of putting the task and DAQ needs before his own personal dignity and comfort.

Team of the Year

Air Awareness - Raleigh Central Office Planning

Team Members - left to right: Milli Hayman, Vickie Chandler, Secretary Bill Holman, George Bridgers, Sheila Holman, Laura Boothe, Vickie Woods, Tom Mather, Jill Vitas, Lisa Grosshandler, and Larry Goodwin. Not pictured: Mark Cuilla, John White, Jim Southerland, Hoke Kimball-RRO, Debbie Manning-MRO, Sally Nara-FRO, and Rob Fisher-FRO.

The Air Awareness Team developed and implemented a very successful ozone action day program, earned the respect of EPA as well as other states across the country. One of the biggest achievements of the team has been the use of the ozone forecasts on all television stations in the four local areas. Through the television stations the team was able to reach hundreds of thousands of North Carolina citizens and warn them as necessary on ozone action days.

Another significant part of the Air Awareness Program is educating school age children. The team trained over 100 teachers in the Air Awareness Program. This is accomplished through Air Quality sponsored workshops as well as participating in EPA sponsored workshops. During the summer months, all the team members put in a lot of extra effort to make the program a success and accomplish their normal jobs at the same time. Many weekends are spent doing puppet show performances across North Carolina to reach more children, with few complaints from the Air Awareness Team.

The meteorologists worked weekends throughout the summer to provide daily ozone forecasts. The team does their Air Awareness work in addition to their other duties.