The annual City of West U Employee Awards Program was held December 15 at the Community Center. The event names the Employee of the Year and Distinguished Employees and recognizes milestones in service.
Hosted by City Manager Chris Peifer, the program recognizes service and commitment of employees to the City of West U. Employees have the opportunity each year to nominate coworkers for the Distinguished Employee Awards. Those nominations go before the Employee Development Group (EDG) for review, evaluation and selection. Those selections are then forwarded to the City Manager who selects the Employee of the Year.
Key factors in the nomination are responsibility, teamwork, innovation, iniiuative and excellence. Employees must have been full-time employed for at least a year before being eligible and may not be named as Distinguished Employee or Employee of the Year for two consecutive years.
This year's Distinguished Employees were: Fred Brumwell, IT Technician; Travis Cochran, Plant Operator; Shaneca Millard, Police Officer; Joethelia Mooney, Controller Tiffany Poke, Accounting Specialist; and Aaron Wiltz, Police Detective. From this group, Fred Brumwell was named Employee of the Year.
A special award was presented this year to West U Police Officer Allan Gomez. Gomez, the recipient of the Lifesaving Award, was recognized for his actions during the active shooter event in Houston on Weslayan and Law. Also recognized for their part in the event were Police Officers Katie Wilson and Ashley Schubert; dispatchers L'Oren Lazaro, Clyde Mahavier and Susie Murray; and West U Fire Department B Shift comprised of Capt. Derek Elkins, Lt. Dennis Stanek, Ryan Wagner, Tony Brooks, Michael Ashcraft, Andrew Franklin and Kyle Alexander.
Service awards announced are as follows:
5 years of service:
Finance: Debbie Pilcher
Fire: Justin Hardy
PD: Adalberto Zurita, Stefanie Markovsky, Milly Cuellar
PW: Mike Morris, Paul King
Parks and Rec: Patricia Noren
10 years of service:
Administration: Chris Peifer
PD: Damien Niko
PW: Damien Jones
15 years of service
PD: Jackie Waddle
20 years of service
FIRE: James Novak
PW: Patrick Walters