Protected: Employee resources

About the awards program

In 2021 State Forester Scott Phillips introduced the first agency-wide employee recognition awards program in Forestry Commission history. The awards recognize outstanding service, performance and dedication and aim to honor employees from every corner of the agency who go above and beyond their prescribed duties to help others, further our organization’s mission, vision and values, and/or bring acclaim to the Forestry Commission.

FY2021-22 award winners

Read more below about the five award categories, nomination procedures and eligibility criteria.

The five awards

• Forest Protection Distinguished Service Award
• Forest Management Distinguished Service Award
• Communicator of the Year
• Team Player Award
• State Forester’s Award for Distinguished Service

Nomination rules / process

• Awards are based on the performance of employees during the fiscal year, July 2022-June 2023.
• One individual can nominate up to five people (only one person for each award).
• Nominators must complete the official nomination form.
• Nomination period: April 1 (first day) – May 31 (last day).
• Director of Communications receives all nominations, prepares them for Selection Committee.
• Selection Committee composed of 7 members who serve staggered two-year terms.
• Selection Committee meets in June to review nominations and recommend award winners to the State Forester for final approval.

Eligibility criteria

Forest Protection Distinguished Service Award

• Open to all employees (not including division directors, section chiefs or regional foresters) with job duties related to Forest Protection who go above and beyond normal duties by demonstrating exceptional accomplishment in support of the agency’s fire prevention, suppression and investigation objectives; exhibiting exemplary commitment to safety and leadership; and/or personifying the Wildland Fire Values & Principles:
  • Duty
    • Be proficient in the job, both technically and as a leader;
    • Make sound and timely decision;
    • Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished;
    • Develop your people for the future.
  • Respect
    • Know your people and look out for their well-being;
    • Keep your people informed;
    • Build the team;
    • Employ your people in accordance with their abilities.
  • Integrity
    • Know yourself and seek improvement;
    • Seek responsibility and accept responsibility for your actions;
    • Set the example.

Forest Management Distinguished Service Award

• Open to all employees (not including division directors, section chiefs or regional foresters) with job duties related to Forest Management who go above and beyond normal duties by demonstrating exceptional accomplishment in one or more of the following areas:
  • providing technical assistance to landowners;
  • planning for and conducting prescribed burns;
  • promoting sustainable forestry;
  • representing SCFC in working with partners;
  • obtaining new knowledge and skills, which they then shared with others internally and/or externally;
  • improving efficiency;
  • serving as a mentor.

Communicator of the Year

• Open to all agency employees (not including division directors, section chiefs or regional foresters) who go above and beyond normal duties to support external outreach to media, landowners and/or the general public in one or more forms:
• media interviews;
• landowner workshops;
• training/promotional video projects;
• conference/classroom speaking engagements;
• authored articles; and/or
• social media activity.

Team Player Award

• Open to all agency employees (not including division directors, section chiefs or regional foresters) who go above and beyond normal duties by demonstrating impeccable internal service in support of one or more components of the agency’s multifaceted mission.

State Forester’s Distinguished Service Award

• Open to all agency employees who go above and beyond normal duties by demonstrating an exceptional level of customer service, innovation or process improvement and/or accomplishment with courtesy, promptness, thoroughness, enthusiasm and the utmost professionalism.
  * The State Forester’s Distinguished Service Award is the highest award of the five.

Eligibility limitations for all awards

• Executive staff, section chiefs and regional foresters not eligible for any awards other than the State Forester’s Distinguished Service Award.
• All nominees have to have worked with the agency at least a year (and not be in probationary status or in progressive discipline during any point of the year in which candidate is nominated) to be eligible for these awards.
• Previous-year winners of the awards not eligible for the same current-year award.

Congratulations to the 2022 employee recognition award winners!

And the winners are…

• Forest Protection Distinguished Service Award – James “Heavy” Price, Pilot
• Forest Management Distinguished Service Award – Chase Folk, Project Forester
• Team Player Award – Ashley McFadden, Senior Administrative Assistant
• Communicator of the Year – Justin Holt, Public Information Coordinator
• State Forester’s Distinguished Service Award – David Owen, Construction & Property Manager

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