Environmental Progress - Winter 1999

Employees of the Month

Editor's Note: Each month the Illinois EPA recognizes outstanding employees for their efforts to make quality part of every job they do. Four recent Agency-wide Employees of the Month are listed here. Congratulations to each of them.

Kathy Taylor, Administration, was the EOM for June, acknowledging her work as group insurance representative during the benefit choice period, her accomplishments in learning a new group insurance computer system, her work in visiting regional offices to explain benefits, and her volunteer work on the Agency's recognition ceremony and Governor's Environmental Corps programs.

Mary Grace Given, Division of Legal counsel, was the EOM for July. Her designation recognized her frequent evening and weekend work to prepare an index for a complex Freedom of Information Act request involving the vehicle inspection and maintenance program, and her overall record of high quality work.

Lawrence Dutton, Bureau of Land, Peoria regional office, was selected EOM for August on a basis of his work in providing technical support to the Illinois Attorney Geneal in several RCRA and solid waste enforcement cases that resulted in successful prosecutions and cleanups, his coordination with the Department of the Army in facilitating proper closure of the Rock Island Arsenal, and his work with the Clean Break program, the Compliance Assistance Survey and numerous outreach appearances on behalf of the Agency.

Michelle Hogg, laboratory assistant in the Springfield organic laboratory's volatile organic compounds section, was EOM for September. She was recognized for her speed and efficiency in entering incoming sample information into two data management systems, scheduling distribution of all drinking water sample bottles from the Springfield laboratory, maintaining resample records, and initiating and seeing to completion an information program for more than 1,200 public water supply operators that resulted in fewer resamples and reduced sampling costs for the Agency and its customers.