2015 Employee Achievement Awards

Most people sit through too many meetings. But there is one meeting each year that I can not get enough of. It is our annual "All-Staff Meeting" at NOVA Parks. This is the time when we review all the big projects and initiatives that we have completed or made progress on last year, and set our sights on the year ahead. Each department reports what they are doing. The depth and breadth of leadership at NOVA Parks is remarkable.

The meeting ends with the annual Employee Achievement Awards. The following people were nominated by their peers. Then a cross-functional team of employees reviewed the nominations and about half of them were deemed exceptional and beyond just doing a good job. This group is listed below.

Join me in congratulating these winner!

* all photos have from left to right: Brian Knapp (Board Member), Michael Nardolilli (Vice Chair), Stella Koch (Chair), Award Recipient, Paul Gilbert (Executive Director). 

Dan Iglhaut

 Dan Iglhaut

NOVA Parks HQ

Dan Iglhaut has achieved recognition in the area of Above and Beyond.  Dan’s efforts to assist in the protection of historic railroad siding on the W&OD Trail were important on many levels.  When faced with public outcry after a developer began destroying this historic feature, Dan worked extensively with Arlington County to create a historic district that now protects the Benjamin Elliott Coal Trestle and will give NOVA Parks the opportunity to interpret the site and its significance.

Ann Marie Warren
Pohick Bay Regional Park

Anne Marie Warren has achieved recognition in the area of Above and Beyond.  Anne Marie plays a critical role as Pool Manager at Pirate’s Cove and has been called “The Glue” that holds the waterpark together.  Anne Marie’s assistance with the staff incentive program and the rollout of the new customer service program were instrumental in the programs successes at Pirate’s Cove Waterpark.

Ben Bilko

Ben Bilko
White’s Ford Regional Park

Ben Bilko has achieved recognition in the area of Team Player.  In addition to Ben’s duties at many other NOVA Parks locations, he was tasked with assisting in the preparations and final details for the opening of White’s Ford Regional Park.  Ben worked closely with the Planning and Development Department and assigned contractors to ensure the park was ready for the grand opening.  Tasks included assisting with the boat launch facilities, tree plantings and ordering and installation of park signage.  The opening of the park was a great success, and much of that can be contributed to the work of Ben.  

Dave Zickafoose

Dave Zickafoose
NOVA Parks HQ

David Zickafoose has achieved recognition in the areas of Cost Savings and Above and Beyond.  With the implementation of a new point of sale system came the possibility that we would be required to replace a large portion of our existing hardware.  David took it upon himself to research and develop a solution that created compatibility between the new system and our existing hardware.  David’s hard work and knowledge saved NOVA Parks thousands in equipment upgrade costs.   

Sarah Johnson

Sarah Johnson
Cameron Run Regional Park

Sarah Johnson has achieved recognition in the area of Safety.  During her years at Great Waves Waterpark, Sarah has developed into a vital component of the NOVA Parks aquatics program.  Sarah’s mastery of the NASCO aquatics system and her ability to teach others has been important to the program’s success, not just a Great Waves but at all the NOVA Parks waterpark facilities.  Sarah has also assumed the lead role on the Aquatics commitment for the last several years using her knowledge and skills to impact the agency as a whole. 

John Houser

John Houser
Occoquan Regional Park

John Houser has achieved recognition in the areas of Above-and-Beyond and Team Player.  John has played a critical role in the development and delivery of our new agency-wide customer service program.  John’s participation in the interview process to select our program consultant, his assistance with the overall design of the program and its successful delivery to hundreds of NOVA Parks’ employees and volunteers is a big part of why moving into our second full year the program is flourishing.

Cindy Hudson

Cindy Hudson
NOVA Parks HQ

Cindy Hudson has achieved recognition in the area of Innovation.  Cindy’s extensive work on the new employee pay table was tremendous and exceptionally time consuming.  This required extensive research and huge attention to detail to ensure it had the desired impact on how NOVA Parks employees are compensated.  The result of Cindy’s hard work is a system that will benefit all current and future employees for many years to come.

John Lewis & Tracy Gillespie

John Lewis
Temple Hall Farm Regional Park

John Lewis has achieved recognition in the area of Programming.  John played an integral role in the development of a first of its kind week-long Civil War camp that encompassed several of NOVA Parks’ historic sites.  Campers were able to experience the life of a Civil War soldier practicing marching and artillery drills and also what life was like on the home front.

Tracy Gillespie
Mt Zion Historic Park

Tracy Gillespie has achieved recognition in the area of Programming.  Tracy played an integral role in the development of a first of its kind week-long Civil War camp that encompassed several of NOVA Parks’ historic sites.  Campers were able to experience the life of a Civil War soldier practicing marching and artillery drills and also what life was like on the home front. 

Dale Hook

Dale Hook
NOVA Parks HQ

Dale Hook has achieved recognition in the area of Customer Service.  Dale epitomizes GREAT customer service and this shows not only in how she treats NOVA Parks customers but also how she handles the internal customers she serves in her many roles at NOVA Parks Headquarters.  A great example of this is the assistance she provides to the marketing department with the assembly of new promotional features such as the cabin information binders for Pohick Campground, or assisting with copying and editing of other promotional materials.   Dale is quick to support whatever functions are needed; this was seen firsthand with Dale’s work on inputting customer data into the new agency-wide point of sale system.  This work took months to complete and was done with great care.

Sharon Swab

Sharon Swab
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Sharon Swab has achieved recognition in the area of Customer Service.  Sharon’s passion for Meadowlark and NOVA Parks is contagious, and she shares that daily with visitors year round.  Whether it is providing a great experience at the Winter Walk of Lights or the gardens during the summer season, visitors will find a knowledgeable, enthusiastic ambassador of all things Meadowlark. 

Kelly Koster

Kelly Koster
Pohick Bay Regional Park

Kelly Koster has achieved recognition in the area of Above and Beyond.  With the NOVA Parks rebranding efforts in full swing, Kelly was asked to be the lead “on camera star” for a new promotional video that highlights our organization and will be used in a multitude of ways, including public broadcast.  Kelly handled this task with great ease and enthusiasm, and the product produced turned out to be some of the best promotional work we as an organization have done.

Brian Bauer

Brian Bauer
NOVA Parks HQ

Brian Bauer has achieved recognition in the area of Innovation.  Brian’s work on the NOVA Parks rebranding efforts has been extraordinary.  Our agency at times has suffered from an identity crisis and now the new NOVA Parks brand that Brian has spearheaded has given us an identity which will assist greatly in letting the communities we serve know how unique and exceptional NOVA Parks truly is.

Doug Smith

Doug Smith
Bull Run Regional Park

Doug Smith has achieved recognition in the area of Above and Beyond.  Doug joined NOVA Parks first ever Civil War Camp as Corporal Smith, volunteering his time and talents to many eager campers.  Corporal Smith’s duties included standard military drilling, battle scenarios and the sharing of his extensive knowledge of the Civil War with the group.  Doug’s interactions with our campers were done with great patience, encouragement and good humor, with Doug even providing each camper with a souvenir minie ball to take home.

Vanessa Herndon

Vanessa Herndon
Carlyle House

Vanessa Herndon has achieved recognition is the area of Programming.  Vanessa especially shines in children’s programming where she is credited with the creation of the Carlyle Craft Day that, as a first time program, hosted more than 120 attendees.  Vanessa is also a large part of the overall success of the increasingly popular Camp Carlyle.  Thanks to Vanessa’s fresh eye and inventive approach, the stories of the Carlyle House live on through dynamic programs.

Jake Bumbrey
NOVA Parks HQ

Jake Bumbrey has achieved recognition in the areas of Versatility and Responsiveness.  Jake’s work on the development of the Tinner Hill Historic Site was one that was extremely time sensitive and of great importance to the community.  The project had many complications with regard to construction and permitting issues that Jake was able to navigate through with great skill.  While doing this, he also worked closely with various interest groups and their expectations for the site.  As a result of Jake’s efforts, Tinner Hill Historic Site opened on time and with great accolades from the community.

Ben Goode

Ben Goode
Rust Sanctuary

Ben Goode has achieved recognition in the areas of Cost Savings and Above and Beyond.  Ben has been able to use his wide range of skills to improve the facilities at Rust Sanctuary. Ben has taken on the renovations of four rooms within the main house, including a redesign of the kitchen, installation of new flooring and extensive plaster work throughout the house.  Ben has also stepped in on a number of other projects, including the emergency repair of a well pump to ensure water was available for an afternoon wedding.  Because of efforts like this Rust is quickly becoming a popular destination for area brides.

Doranne Pittz

Doranne Pittz
Fountainhead Regional Park

Doranne Pittz has achieved recognition in the areas of Customer Service and Team Player.  Doranne pioneered the first ever Customer Service GREAT Board, setting the standard for other facilities to follow.  Doranne has also taken it upon herself to organize activities outside of work in an effort to build a true team atmosphere among all NOVA Parks employees.  Doranne is often one of the first to volunteer or take on additional duties as needed, making her the true definition of a Team Player.  

Brian Nolan

Brian Nolan
NOVA Parks HQ

Brian Nolan has achieved recognition in the area of Versatility.  Brian, as the Special Projects Manager for the Planning and Development Department, is responsible for managing a multitude of complex projects and tasks.  Doing this well requires constant communication and updates to contractors, consultants, local permitting offices and NOVA Parks staff.  Brian accomplishes this with great skill and exceptional organization and results.

Jules Maloney

Jules Maloney
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Jules Maloney has achieved recognition in the area of Versatility.  Jules is tasked with managing an emerging camp program in the summer months and then is asked to quickly transition into Light Show mode soon thereafter.  As the Camp Grow Leader, she provides exceptional experiences for all campers introducing the groups to new and exciting activities.  During Light Show times, she becomes an orchestrator of the multitude of details that go into making the light show a success.  Jules has managed both roles with tremendous enthusiasm and great results

Jenny Friedman

Jenny Friedman
NOVA Parks HQ

Jenny Friedman has achieved recognition in the area of Innovation.  Jenny’s design efforts on The Atrium wedding venue booklet provided NOVA Parks’ most popular wedding venue a prestige piece that assists in painting the picture of The Atrium as a first class event venue to prospective clients.  This promotional piece also surpassed many great nominees from the state and received the award for “Best Promotional Effort” from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society at its annual conference.

 

Ted Riley, Jr.

 Ted Riley Jr.

Central Maintenance

Ted Riley Jr. has achieved recognition in the area Team Player.  Each day, Ted demonstrates the true meaning of being a Team Player with his willingness to take on projects outside of his normal job duties to achieve positive results.  This can often mean assisting with plumbing or carpentry projects that due to his assistance contribute greatly to the efficiency of our Central Maintenance operations.    

Jackie Querry

Jackie Querry
Rust Sanctuary

Jackie Querry has achieved recognition in the area of Customer Service.  Jackie exemplifies GREAT customer service by consistently assisting couples in the planning of their event with their budget and overall event expectations in mind.  This is especially helpful with the wedding ceremony itself, where Jackie often leads couples through the details they often have not yet thought about.  Jackie is consistently identified in online and other site reviews as a true event professional.  

Kim McCleskey

Kim McCleskey
NOVA Parks HQ

Kim McCleskey has achieved recognition in the area of Responsiveness.  Each budget year, Kim works tirelessly to create a budget process that is efficient and easy to navigate for everyone involved.  Kim is always willing to meet with staff who request additional information or explanation about their particular piece of the budget.  Kim consistently seeks feedback on the overall process and has also taken the time to generate a survey that is given to staff to solicit suggestions about additional ways to improve the budget and process.  Kim’s hard work makes what could be a difficult process easier and one that values everyone’s input and ideas.

Brad Jackson

Brad Jackson
Pohick Bay Regional Park

Brad Jackson has achieved recognition in the areas of Safety and Responsiveness.  Brad, recognizing a significant need, took on the challenge of reorganizing the parking within Camp Wilson to address customer confusion about where to park and overall safety of the site.  Brad’s plan provided a safer environment by clearly defining parking locations, and in the process created a better overall camping experience for our NOVA Parks customers.

Debbie Patterson

Debbie Patterson
NOVA Parks HQ

Debbie Patterson has achieved recognition in the area of Customer Service.  Debbie has quickly adjusted to the demands of the NOVA Parks budget process and has added to its success.  Debbie has displayed a willingness to assist with any questions or explanations but has also been a part of implementing new ways to get information out quickly to staff.  A great example of this was her assistance in providing completed budget pages at the conclusion of each budget meeting.  Doing this gave everyone an immediate snapshot of the changes and even provided a head start on the entry for the final document.  

Kathy Brooks
NOVA Parks HQ

Kathy Brooks has achieved recognition in the areas of Versatility and Team Player.  Kathy has willingly taken on the challenge of becoming an expert in the development and implementation of our agency’s new point of sale system.  Kathy has worked exceptionally hard to develop a deep understanding of the systems capabilities and functions as they relate to the needs of NOVA Parks, and she has actively assumed the role of in-house trainer and go-to staff member for all questions related to the new system.