MAY 29, 2025
Special Edition: Meet the Winners Watch the Tribute Videos Learn How to Nominate Someone
Join us in congratulating the 2024 City Manager’s Employee Excellence Award recipients. This annual event recognizes colleagues who have made exceptional contributions in public service through their individual efforts or as part of a team. This year, five teams and 12 individuals were recognized by the City Manager for their accomplishments at a ceremony in Memorial Hall at Steele Indian School Park.
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PHXCONNECT
City of Phoenix Employee Newsletter
This special edition of PHXConnect highlights the award recipients and their nominations. You can watch the award videos of all the winners here. Although this is a time to showcase employees who have been formally recognized as standouts in 2024, it is also a time to shine a light on all City employees - the hardest working public servants in the country. Thank you for your continued dedication and contributions to Building the Phoenix of Tomorrow.
May 29, 2025
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Individual or Team Awards
The following recipients successfully implemented an innovative idea, where outstanding results were achieved or an efficiency that resulted in lower cost or savings to the organization.
Scott Cain Electronic Meeting Agendas Team
Justeen Cook
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602 Day Group Leads Team
City of Phoenix Employee Newsletter
Individual or Team Awards
The following recipients solved an extraordinary problem or achieved a significantly difficult goal.
Summer Heat Ready Unified Team
Demetrice Ledbetter
Broadway & 45th Outreach Team
May 29, 2025
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Individual or Team Awards
The following recipients demonstrated kindness to customers, working to provide the best possible service to residents and guests of the city.
The Homes to Hope Team
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City of Phoenix Employee Newsletter
Pillar Award
This award is to recognize employees who constantly excel in everyday work duties. They willingly help others in a meaningful way to develop creative solutions and builds good relations with employees and the public.
Zachary Wallace
Loretta Richards
Liza Oz-Golden
Jennifer Smith
May 29, 2025
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Jerome E. Miller Award
This award continues the legacy of Jerome E. Miller, a former city employee who spent many years in his 17-year career as the Neighborhood Services Director. It recognizes an exemplary public servant who mentors staff and helps develop those around them while also supporting community initiatives.
Lisa Huggins-Hubbard
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City of Phoenix Employee Newsletter
Jane L. Morris Award
This award category is in memory of Jane L. Morris, a former Deputy City Manager who served Phoenix for 25 years. The award recognizes excellence in project management (capital, service, or IT). The recipient demonstrates strong leadership in forming and driving high performing working teams. They consistently apply creative problem-solving and out-of-thebox thinking to address challenges while actively engaging in mentoring, teaching, and growing the next generation of project managers.
Alicia Farinas
May 29, 2025
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Apprentice of the Year
This award is to recognize an employee who has successfully completed a City of Phoenix Registered Apprenticeship Program. The recipient must be employed in the occupation they studied and graduated from as a City apprentice. They had outstanding attendance and exceptional performance during the term of the apprenticeship and assisted others in meaningful ways with a can-do attitude.
Ryan Finch
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City of Phoenix Employee Newsletter
Frank Fairbanks Management Frank Fairbanks The Excellence Award, in honor of former City Manager Frank Fairbanks, was created Management to recognize those in management who Excellence Award excel as leaders in the organization.
Frank was the 7th City Manager of Phoenix since Charter reform in 1949, and the longest-serving City Manager in the City's history, serving from 1990 to 2009. During his tenure, Frank oversaw tremendous growth of the city; but Frank was known to say that he liked to focus most on the thousands of city employees who do outstanding work for our residents every day. Frank’s leadership was known across the country as he earned numerous awards, including being named Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine. The recipient of this year’s Frank Fairbanks Management Excellence award exemplifies these same characteristics.
Brandy Kelso
Inger Erickson May 29, 2025
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If you know someone or a group that should be nominated for one of the Employee Excellence Awards, check out our special webpage to learn more about the process. Nominations can be submitted in the fall for people and events happening in 2025.
Congratulations to all our honorees!