Employees Nominate Colleagues For Company-Wide Awards
Each year, VDCI employees nominate their own colleagues for company-wide awards. In 2016, the nominations were so compelling that we had two recipients of the Employee of the Year award. Please help us congratulate Dr. Broox Boze and Kristin Lipin for their outstanding contributions! We invite you to see some of the comments their fellow colleagues made in their nominations of these two women as well as see other 2016 VDCI company award recipients.
Employee of the Year
Dr. Broox Boze and Kristin Lipin
In 2016, the nominations were so compelling that we had two recipients of the Employee of the Year award. Here are some of the comments their fellow colleagues made in their nominations of these two women.
Dr. Broox Boze – Program Manager, Northern Colorado
Broox stepped up all the way back in March and became one of the initial licensed managers for the U.S. Virgin Island’s Zika project. She helped get that organized and even brought some of her seasonal employees down to help. She then turned around and took control of the Marshall Islands Zika response program, single-handedly organizing, developing and implementing that program with a level of efficiency and expertise that has not been replicated on any other Zika project this year. Her team eradicated Zika on an entire island, to the point where they declared the emergency over within a few weeks of the project’s conclusion. It was amazing. On top of all that, she helped organize Guam’s Zika response and even went back to U.S.V.I. She accomplished all of this while also handling her normal managerial duties and, at the end of the season, dealing with a WNV outbreak in the Fort Collins, CO area that resulted in emergency spraying of several hundred miles, all amidst public outcry, death threats and even an attack on a spray truck during the operation. VDCI may have never had a more deserving MVP in a given year than Broox.
Kristin Lipin – Human Resources Supervisor, Little Rock, AR
2016 was a big year for the Little Rock office, and Kristin was the backbone that got us through. There were changes in the payroll system this year which she smoothly implemented, including consolidation of the many entities into two payrolls as well as the introduction of the time-keeping and employee self-service modules. Not only did she accomplish her HR initiatives, but she also took on Denni’s role in a calm and organized manner. I do not think we realized all the things Denni took care of until she was gone! Kristin stepped in and took over this mountain of work with no complaints and a fantastic attitude. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scene, and Kristin handles it all with a smile on her face!
Most Valuable IPM Award
Jason Williams – Texas Regional Director
Jason went to extreme measures this year to provide the Dallas area with a level of mosquito control that has not been necessary before. For a big part of the season, Jason was working seven days a week and often seeing extremely long hours dedicated to his job each day. The contracts were very pleased with his efforts, and renewals were the additional proof of his accomplishments. The number of miles that Jason put on his spray truck was almost unbelievable – we all stopped counting at 16,000 miles. The quality and quantity of his work in 2016 was truly outstanding.
We would also like to recognize our Runner Up:
Sabrina Nelson – Contract Supervisor, Blytheville, Arkansas
Above and Beyond Award
David Brailsford – Pilot
Dave was one of the first employees to relocate himself for the Zika-response project in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and outlasted all of the initial responders. What was originally planned to be a short two-week excursion, quickly turned into two months abroad. Island Dave spent the majority of the two months, stepping outside of his job description as a pilot, completing backpack larvicide and adulticide applications. Dave had a great attitude, work ethic, and communicated extremely well with everyone at the USVI DOH. When Dave finally did go home to the U.S., he had to jump right back into the pilot’s seat to perform larvicide applications for two larger county partners. After Dave’s departure from USVI, local Health Officials would inquire daily about his current location and when he would return. Indeed Dave went “Above and Beyond” in 2016.
We would also like to recognize our Runner Up:
Glenn Humphries – Contract Supervisor, SE Arkansas
Most Valuable Aerial Award
Tim Metivier – Pilot
Tim puts the “V” in Valuable!
Our county customers often utilized him to their fullest extent. Without his unwavering work ethic, working seven days a week, the 1M+ acres in California may not have been completed. California requirements for record keeping, licensing, and auditing, in addition to an often longer mosquito season, can prove challenging at times. Never one complaint from Tim – or our customers! Tim was able to stay on top of it all and received positive feedback from all the contracts he serviced.
We would also like to recognize our Runner Up:
Glenn Humphries – Contract Supervisor, SE Arkansas
Rookie of the Year Award
Robyn Kirwin – Accounting Supervisor, Little Rock, Arkansas
Robyn joined the VDCI team at the first of the year when the company was in the middle of a computer conversion (NAV), the year-end closing of the books, and getting ready for the auditors. She jumped right in and was very productive and accurate in everything she did. Robyn was instrumental in the success of the computer conversion and has continued to become well versed in NAV. Her dedication to her position and her willing to go above and beyond makes her a true asset. In addition to a passion for performing her job well, she maintains a very upbeat attitude all day – even when it is not a good day. She is the sunshine of the Little Rock office!
We would also like to recognize our Runner Up:
Patrick Geisinger – Contract Supervisor, United States Virgin Islands
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