Environmental Progress - Winter 2000

Editor’s Note: Each month the Illinois EPA recognizes outstanding employees for their efforts to make quality part of every job they do. Three recent honorees are listed here.

Patrick McCarthy was the EOM for September. Patrick works for the Bureau of Land (BoL) where he works with the training unit. Through the annual training needs assessment, Patrick’s unit surveyed BoL staff for their ideas and input regarding training needs, was instrumental in implementing three new courses, working to make every training session “run like clockwork,” and examining training evaluations to ensure that high quality is being maintained. He also manages the Landfill Operator Certification Program which he was instrumental in developing.

Kenneth J. Beauvais was the Employee of the Month for October. Ken works for the Bureau of Air in the Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Division. When the manager of the Motorist Assistance Unit was on medical leave, Kenneth accepted the responsibilities of that unit despite additional demands due to the enhanced vehicle emissions test program. In addition to training employees in many technical changes, he combined and streamlined many of the forms and materials routinely used in this unit. Kenneth aided in developing a procedures manual, kept employees updated on progress and arranged for each employee to spend a day at the test station to familiarize them with the new procedures and the operation of the new test stations, and helped develop a repair industry seminar.

Angela Freeman was the EOM for November. Angela works for the Division of Laboratories in Champaign. For the last two years, Angela has worked on implementation of the Champaign Laboratory’s new computer system and the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) which impacts the receipt, tracking and reporting of samples for inorganic analysis. She helped set up training classes for Champaign Lab employees, worked with vendors to understand how their work would interface with the new LIMS so all electronic information could be properly calculated, and worked with analysts so results would be reported in the essential format.