Division salutes staff, volunteers, partners and friends at end-of-the-year success event
During an end-of-the-year success event on Dec. 15, 2014, Delaware Secretary of State Jeffrey W. Bullock and Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs Director Tim Slavin paid tribute to the staff, volunteers, partners and friends who helped make 2014 an award-winning year for the division.
As part of his presentation, Slavin noted the progress that had been made in implementing the division’s strategic plan for fiscal years 2015 to 2019 which was released on Jan. 27, 2014. Accomplishments include completion of the “common look and feel” for the division’s website, compilation of an agency-wide staff directory that identifies employees’ special skills and talents, development of a staff-recognition program, completion of a five-year exhibit schedule and the development of team budgets. In addition, development of a marketing/communication plan and implementation of the division’s disaster-preparedness plan are currently underway.
Slavin also spotlighted the numerous awards that the division had received in 2014 including four honors from the American Association for State and Local History—the Award of Merit and History in Progress Award that the agency shared with the Delaware Historical Society for their collaborative exhibit “Forging Faith, Building Freedom: African American Faith Experiences in Delaware, 1800-1980”; the Award of Merit that the agency received for “The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World”; and the division’s successful graduation from the association’s StEPs program (Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations). The division also successfully completed the Core Documents Verification Program, a key component of its efforts to receive accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums.
After the review of agency accomplishments, Slavin welcomed staff members who have joined the division during 2014 including Morgan Booker, Marian Carpenter, Carlton Hall, Charity Luksha, James Scott, Desiree Williams and Rachel Wootten; and presented staff service-awards to Dianna Harris for 30+ years of service, Manny Carrar and Jim Yurasek for 25+ years, Ed Gillespie for 15+ years and Michael Cinque for 5+ years.
Volunteer-service certificates were awarded to Arnold Leftwich for 697.5 volunteer hours, Charolenne Shehorn (609 hours), Kent Slavin (606 hours) Howard Fulcher (602 hours), Jim Schilling (407.5 hours), David Perlmutter (294 hours), Laura Herbin (218.5 hours), Gene Modzelewski (157 hours), Caroline Dworkin (115 hours), Carolyn Apple (114.5 hours), Valarie Shorter (87 hours) and Larry Watkins (83.5 hours). Ed Gillespie, the division’s physical-plant maintenance supervisor, was also honored as the Delaware Department of State’s Employee of the Third Quarter, and former staff members Ken Darsney and Jenna Reynolds were thanked for their service.
Division partners and friends who were recognized were Yancey and Dave Hillegas and Kevin Phillips of the Bethel Historical Society; Florence Davis, Nancy Jodlbauer and Jim Whisman of the New Castle Historical Society; Michele Restucci, Deanna Rishell and Sarah Zimmerman of the First State Heritage Park; Kendel Jones and Dr. Akwasi Osei, former members of the State Review Board for Historic Preservation; Pat Lawson a trustee of the Hebron Methodist Protestant Church that has been nominated for placement on the National Register of Historic Places; and Danielle Patton, Bill Rieker and Kevin Wright of the Delaware Department of Technology and Information.