DAQ Honors Employee, Team of the Year for 2009

The N.C. Division of Air Quality held its 11th Employee Recognition Awards ceremony on Thursday, with Donna Cook of the Mooresville Regional Office named the 2009 DAQ Employee of the Year. The Metrolina SIP Team was named the 2009 DAQ Team of the Year.

DENR Secretary Dee Freeman and DAQ Director Keith Overcash presented the awards.

Cook, an environmental specialist, was recognized for her thoroughness and timeliness in conducting inspections and investigating complaints as well as her willingness to help train other staff. In 2009, she inspected 68 facilities and completed her inspection reports in two days on average. She investigated 16 complaints and submitted her reports all within one day of completing the investigations. She also issued 19 notices of violation, or NOVs, with an average time of 41 days to submit her five enforcement packages.

The Metrolina SIP Team was recognized for its efforts in preparing a revised State Implementation Plan, or SIP, for demonstrating ozone attainment in the Metrolina or greater Charlotte metropolitan area. The team conducted modeling and other analyses on a compressed time schedule and submitted two revised SIPs that averted the area from lapsing in its transportation conformity, which could have stopped federally funded transportation projects in the region. The team's actions also kept the Metrolina area from being reclassified as a serious non-attainment area. The effort involved many meetings, hearings and communications with stakeholders, including transportation officials, local governments, businesses, environmental groups and the EPA. Members of the team included: Laura Boothe, George Bridgers, Joelle Burleson, Vicki Chandler, Bebhinn Do, Janice Godfrey, Sheila Holman, Phyllis Jones, Steven Liu, Chris Misenis, Kevin Ours, Keith Overcash, Donnie Redmond, Nick Witcraft, Bob Wooten and Ming Xie.

Other nominees for DAQ Employee of the Year included: Kim Blumenreich, Steven Daniels, Charles Davis, Angela Edmonds, Travis Funderburk, Kim Gold, George Halsey, Bonnie Jordan, George Kangkolo, Sheila Ledford, Mitch Revels and Eddie Todd. Other nominees for the DAQ Team of the Year included the: Air Quality Forecast Team, Electronic Calibration Branch, IT Unit, DENR Carbon Footprint Quantification Team, ECB Leadership Team, DAQ Regional Ambient Monitoring Coordinators, WARO Ambient Monitoring Team, WARO Compliance Team and WARO Engineering Team.

Also at the awards ceremony, DAQ presented service awards to employees with 10 years or more with the state.

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