Program

Opening                                                                                                                                           

Mr. Jay Somerville, President Ohio Chapter of APCO,

Technical Services Bureau Commander,

City of Dublin Police Communications               

Honor America                                                                                                                              

National Anthem – Mr. Mel Meloy, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office

Introduction of Keynote Speaker

Mr. William Hinkle, Director, Hamilton County Communications Center

Keynote Speaker

State Representative Larry L. Flowers, Franklin County

Invocation

Dublin Police Chaplain Steve Norden                                                               

     New Hope Church in Powell, Ohio

Lunch                                                                                                                   

Sponsor Recognition                                                                                    

Mr. Greg Wenz, Chair - Ohio Gold Star Awards Program,

     Operation Director—Hamilton County Communications Center

Award Presentations—

Mr. Jay Somerville, Emcee

     Awards:

     Gold Star Certificates

     Double Gold Awards - Dispatch Teams

     Solid Gold Awards

     2005 Ohio Telecommunicator of the Year Award

Benediction

Chaplain Steve Norden

Closing

“God Bless America” Mr. Mel Meloy, Communications Supervisor Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office

Seated at the Head Table:  Chaplin Steve Norden, Kim Brandt, Jay Somerville, Representative Larry Flowers, William Hinkle, Greg Wenz

            We welcome you to the 2005 Gold Star Awards Program.  It is with great pleasure that the Ohio Chapters of APCO and NENA welcome the recipients of the Gold Star Awards and their guests.  We are extremely proud of each nominee and the work they do every single day.  Making a selection of this type is very difficult since all the telecommunicators in the State do an outstanding job.  Every telecommunicator has handled calls during the year that would be award winning.  Additionally, the service they provide to the public on a daily basis makes everyone in the State of Ohio a winner.

              We extend special thanks to the 2005 Gold Star Awards Committee who has worked hard to prepare for today’s event.  They have devoted much time and energy to make this special recognition a success.  We thank the supervisors and administrators for all the superb nominations that they offered.

              We also want to acknowledge the corporate sponsors for their generous financial support of the Gold Star Program, as well as for their continuous support for NENA and APCO.

              To all the nominees, on behalf of NENA and APCO, we offer our sincere congratulations, appreciation, and thanks for jobs well done.

Sincerely,

Jay Somerville                  Monte Diegel                                                               

Jay Somerville                      Monte Diegel            

President,                               President,

          Ohio Chapter APCO          Ohio Chapter NENA

Ohio NENA Board                                                                                                           

President

Monte Diegel, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office Central Dispatch

Vice President

Kim Brandt, Van Wert County 9-1-1

Secretary

Rose Chambers, Wood County Sheriff’s Office

Treasurer

Valerie DeRose, Summit County Emergency Management

Ohio Chapter of APCO, Executive Board                                                

President

Jay Somerville, Dublin Division of Police

1^st Vice President                                                                                    

Holly E. Wayt, City of Westerville Communications

2^nd Vice President

Matt Franke, City of Oxford Police

Secretary/Treasurer

Danielle J. Klavinger, Lucas County Emergency Services

Executive Council Representative

Lynne Feller, Wayne County Justice Center

The Gold Star Awards committee would like to thank the following

people for their support and participation in the program.

State Representative Larry Flowers

Chaplain Steve Norden

Mr. Mel Meloy

Public Safety Training Consultants

The Gold Star Selection Committee

Ms. Carol Armitage

Ms. Holly Wayt

Mr. Monte Diegle

Mr. Jay Somerville

Ohio’s Gold Star Award Program for

Telecommunicators

The Ohio Chapters of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO) have worked together to recognize the outstanding work performed by public-safety communications personnel in Ohio.  Several years ago both Chapters saw a critical need for some positive recognition and acknowledgement of the fine work that is performed by these communications professionals.   Our goal was to publicly express appreciation, and to recognize both outstanding individual and team performance and consistent, steadfast leadership.  Both of the Chapters are proud to present The Ohio 9-1-1 Gold Star Awards program.  Because Telecommunicators work in the background, behind the lights, sirens and cameras, they are sometimes forgotten.  APCO and NENA have worked in concert to promote and recognize outstanding performance in the dispatch centers around Ohio.  Thank you for joining us today to show your appreciation for these dedicated and hard working individuals.

The Gold Star Award Committee

2005 Gold Star Certificates

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Melissa Baldwin

Ohio State Highway Patrol – West Jefferson Post

Communications Officer Joanne Barton

Defiance County Communications Center

911 Dispatcher Dawn Burns

City of Fairfield Police Department

Dispatcher Charlotte Cooper

Delaware Police Department

Communications Technician Dawn Cunningham

Lancaster Police Department

Emergency Operator Carmen Day

City of Dayton Police Department

Dispatcher Anne Duncan

City of Mentor

Dispatcher J. Barbara Harper

City of Cleveland, Division of Police Communications

Fire and EMS Dispatcher Patricia Hemmerick

Dayton Fire Department

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Pamela Hershberger

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Marion Post

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Pamela Kelly

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Xenia Post

Dispatcher Dan Kissling

Oregon Police Department

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Rhonda Macarthy

Ohio State Highway Patrol, Berea Post

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Brent Sigler

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Bucyrus Post

2005 Double Gold Awards

Team Award Winner

Lorain County 9-1-1

9-1-1 Dispatcher Donna Chopcinski

9-1-1 Dispatcher Melody Leisure

9-1-1 Dispatcher Kurt Scholl

For outstanding performance on July 16, 2005 during severe flooding in Lorain County.  Three and one half inches of rain fell in one 30 minute period, resulting in hundreds of calls for help, people trapped in vehicles and twelve feet of water covered parts of the County.    

Nominees:

Cleveland Police Department, Communications

Dispatcher Diane Eck

 Dispatcher Tracey Chipgus 

Dublin Police Communications

Communications Technician Carolyn Fergus

Communications Technician Ben Karns

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Ravenna Post

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Heather Turner

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Blaine Decker

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Toledo Post

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Brian Gettinger

Highway Patrol Dispatcher James Barlow

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Jennifer Sabin

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Walbridge

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Barbara Welsh

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Shirley Knitz 

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Cheryl Babione 

Toledo Police 9-1-1

Communications Operator Moneick Alford

Communications Operator Angel Berente

Sergeant Deonn Bortel

Communications Operator Mary Lou Castilleja

Sergeant Phil Cook

Communications Operator Lucinda Craig

Communications Operator Deb Davidson

Communications Operator Teri Ellis

Communications Operator Chris Evans

Communications Operator Dawn Gaston

Communications Operator Christine Griffin

Communications Operator Eileen Herrick

Communications Operator Haylee Kaiser

Communications Operator Stephanie Lanoce

Communications Operator Tracy Lembke

Communications Operator Becki Niemiec

Communications Operator Jennifer Overcashier

Communications Operator Marsha Perry

Communications Operator Judy Plunkett

Communications Operator Dena Rieger

Communications Operator Janie Stiles

Communications Operator Diana Trevino

2005 Solid Gold Award

OHIO 2005 TELECOMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Heather Turner

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Ravenna Post

For excellence during a bizarre series of events that involved numerous shots fired at police, kidnapping, a burglary, assaults and three homicides, on January 21, 2005.

Nominees:

Dispatcher Teresa Clark

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office

Dispatcher Kimberlee Dalton

Ontario Police Department

Toledo Police 9-1-1 Operator Teri Ellis

Toledo Police 9-1-1

Lead Dispatcher Dawn Ellis-Whittemore

Xenia/Green Central Communications Center

Dispatcher Shannon Forrider

Athens County Emergency Communications

Communications Operator Vanessa Haley

Clark County Sheriff’s Office

Highway Patrol Dispatcher Adam Quinn

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Delaware Post

Communications Deputy Wendy Ritterbach

Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office

Communications Officer Rod Smith

Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office

Dispatcher Carolyn Sowell

Joint Fire Dispatch Center

Dispatcher Rick Spoor

Van Wert Police Department

Emergency Operator Stephanie Thoma

Dispatcher Jaclyn Tryon

Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office

Gold Star Awards Supporting Sponsors

The Gold Star Committee is extremely grateful to these companies for their sponsorship of the Ohio Gold Star Awards Program.  Their     generosity allows the recognition of our Ohio heroes. Thank you very much.

DDTI                              

Nonspecific contribution                                                                                            

EmergiTech

Nonspecific contribution

Intrado

Nonspecific contribution

Motorola

Nominee’s shirts

       The following vendors also provided items for the nominees:

DDTI, Inc

EmergiTech

InterAct

Public Safety Training Consultants

Vonage

Today’s Lunch Includes:

Garden Salad and Rolls                                                                                          

Peppercorn Crusted Sirloin Medallions

Green Beans Almandine

Oven Roasted Red Skin Potatoes

New York Cheese Cake

or

Belgian Chocolate Mousse