Employee Service Awards

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Employee Service Awards December 4, 2007
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Board of County Commissioners Employee Service
Awards

• Todays honorees are recognized for outstanding
  service and dedication

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Convention CenterSales Events
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Christie Ann Carol Vahedian - 20 Years

• Christie, who goes by the name Carol, was born in
  Sioux Falls, SD and moved to Central Florida in
  the 60s.
• Her dad had a small café a block away from the
  original Ron Jons Surf Shop.

• Carol graduated from East Central University in
  Ada, OK.
• After graduation, she was certified for Medical
  Records and Hospital Management.

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Carol Vahedian 20 Years

• Carol was hired in 1987 to work at the Orange
  County Convention Center as a Clerical Support
  Typist. She was promoted to Secretary and
  Administrative Assistant.
• In 1997, she became Event Staff/Security
  Coordinator.
• Carol has completed the Supervisory Development
  Program.
• In 1988, she started the first orientation class
  for casual labor personnel.
• Carol has been married for 28 years to Mohammad,
  and they have two children Ashley, 24, and
  Amelia, 20.
• In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, water
  sports, movies, reading, and gardening.
• She also enjoys helping the seniors in her
  subdivision.

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Corrections In-Custody Security
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Yvonne C. Matos - 20 Years

• Yvonne was born in the Bronx, graduated from
  Rockaway High School and attended Lehman
  Community College.

• She was hired by Orange County Corrections in
  1987 as a Correctional Officer.
• Yvonne was originally assigned to Orlando Annex.
• She has worked at the Main Facility, Horizon and
  Whitcomb.
• In 1991, she was promoted to Corporal and
  transferred to the Whitcomb Complex B-Shift.

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Yvonne Matos 20 Years

• In 1994, Yvonne requested re-assignment to the
  Orlando Annex Shift A.
• In 1995, she coordinated the development of a
  female orientation process, testing and
  assessment.
• Since 1996, Yvonne took on added responsibilities
  as the complex Law Library Officer, Disciplinary
  Review Officer and Juvenile Tour Coordinator.
• From 2001 to 2003, Yvonne served on the
  Department Security Threat Group, which gathers
  information on active gang affiliation/recruitment
  within Orange County.
• She collects data on gang members and files
  reports with the Threat Group.
• Yvonne was selected for the Department Master
  Correctional Officer Program.

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Yvonne Matos 20 Years

• Yvonne has won several awards
• Teamwork Award for Hispanic Heritage Month.
• Certificate of Appreciation for Orange TV
  presentations on Female Inmate Population.
• Teamwork Award for United Way Campaign.
• Yvonne is also a certified Fire Safety and
  Sanitation Officer and she has trained in
  Interview and Interrogation Techniques.
• She has two daughters and two grandchildren.
• She enjoys her Vespa Scooter, Kung Fu, Tai Chi
  and Chi-gong.
• Her twin sister, Carmen, is also
• a Correctional Officer, and her daughter,
• Marianne, is a Detention Service Officer.

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Reginald H. Crawford - 20 Years

• Reginald was born and raised in Orlando. He
  graduated from Jones High School and Bethune
  Cookman College.
• He was hired by Corrections in 1987 to work at
  the Main Facility.

• He has received numerous awards including
  Division Department Employee of the Month
  Certificate of Appreciation Teamwork Awards. He
  also got his photo in the American Corrections
  Association Magazine for an article on Women in
  Corrections.

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Reginald Crawford 20 Years

• Reginald was promoted to Corporal in 2001 and
  Sergeant in 2005.
• He has also served as a Training and Probation
  Officer.
• He has been married to Evelyn for 13.5 years, and
  they have three children LaRhonda, Jennifer and
  Christian and one grandson, Jordan.

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Fire Rescue Operations
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Bobby J. Scott - 20 Years

• Bobby was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, where his
  parents were sharecroppers.
• He moved to Apopka when he was six years old.
• Bobby attended Phyllis Wheatley High School and
  graduated from Apopka High School. He was one of
  the first African-Americans to graduate with a
  basketball scholarship to Lake - Sumter Community
  College.

• He worked for one year with the Eatonville Fire
  Department before joining Orange Countys Fire
  Rescue Department in 1987.

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Bobby Scott 20 Years

• Bobby has received several merit and citizen
  awards during his career.
• He worked his first 15 years at fire stations in
  Goldenrod, Bithlo and Christmas.
• He now works at Stations 28 29 in Apopka where
  he strives to make a difference in the community.
• Bobby has been married for more than 20 years to
  Sheron, a teacher at Princeton Elementary School.
• Their children have grown and moved away, but
  they are raising two grandchildren KeShawn, 13
  and Jada, 12.
• Bobby is an avid Magic fan, and enjoys
  volunteering with the American Cancer Society
  Relay for Life.
• He is also an officer and active member of the
  St. Paul A.M.E. Church where he serves on the
  Finance Committee and Stewardship Board. He is
  Chairman of the Sons of Allen mens ministry.
• His goal is to set a positive example for all
  local minorities.

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Health Family Services Health Services
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Boyd Dean Smith - 30 Years

• Dean was born and raised in Virginia.
• After a 30 year career at the District Nine
  Medical Examiners Office, Dean says hell be
  retiring soon.
• He spent three years in the Army with a Hercules
  anti-aircraft missile battery and was successful
  in keeping Virginia Beach from being attached by
  enemy aircraft.

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Dean Smith 30 Years

• After the Army, Dean moved to Florida to work as
  an attendant in a funeral home.
• He was hired in 1977 as one of three
  investigators, who worked 24 hours on and 48
  hours off.
• Once, when he applied for credit at a local
  store, the store called the M Es Office to
  verify his employment. Someone told the store no
  one named Dean worked there. Dean thought hed
  been fired only to find out that his coworkers
  knew him as Boyd, not Dean.
• Dean has held various positions at the M Es
  Office and he is an Associate Member of the
  National Association of Medical Examiners and a
  member of the Florida Medical Examiners
  Association.
• He has received thanks from many Orange County
  families who appreciated his assistance and
  concern after the death of a loved one.
• Dean has been married to Judy for 41 years and
  they have a son, Clay. They are grandparents of
  two kids Haley, and Kody and theres one more on
  the way.
• Upon retirement, Dean plans to play golf and
  enjoy more time with his grandchildren.

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Public Works Traffic Engineering
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Francis L. Lewis - 20 Years

• Frank was born in Worcester, MA and moved to
  Central Florida in 1968.
• He served in the Marines for four years.
• Frank was hired by Public Works Engineering in
  1987 as a sign installer.

• After just 3 months on the job, Frank was
  promoted to Foreman and transferred to the Thermo
  Crew, where he has worked for 20 years.

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Frank Lewis 20 Years

• Frank has achieved certification in liquefied
  gas, traffic safety and the Rollins College
  Leadership Program.
• He has received the Employee of the Month Award
  12 times and won Employee of the Year in 1989.
• Frank has worked on several projects including
  Convention Center speed zone markings and
  projects with the Orange County Sheriffs Office.
• He has been married to Elizabeth for 10 years.
• He has three children Cheryl, Robert and Edward.
• In his free time, Frank enjoys fishing and
  restoring cars.

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Joseph Jackson - 20 Years

• Joe was born in Midway, AL and graduated from
  Union Springs High School.
• He was hired in 1987 to work for the Traffic
  Engineering Department as a Maintenance Person I
  in the Sign Shop.

• He has been promoted to Level 1 and 2 as a Paint
  Crew Member and was the Crew Leader for the Paint
  Crew. He is currently on the Thermo Plastic Crew.
  

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Joe Jackson 20 Years

• Joe was part of the crew that changed all the
  street signs in Eatonville.
• He has two children Chanelle, 29 and Courtney,
  19.
• In his spare time, Joe enjoys

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Public Works Roads Drainage
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Michael S. Watts - 20 Years

• Mike was born in Norristown, PA and graduated
  from North Penn High School.
• He served for four years in the Air Force in
  Panama, Central and South America.
• He was hired in 1987 to work with the MSTU
  Section of Public Works.

• He has completed the Rollins College Supervisory
  Training Program and many Federal Emergency
  Management Agency emergency response courses.

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Mike Watts 20 Years

• Mike has held many positions including
  Maintenance Person, Equipment Operator, Drainage
  Foreman for the Drainwell and Pump Station. He is
  now the MSTU Senior Foreman with a team of 30.
• Mike is a youth football and track coach in
  Winter Park.
• He has also served as the Central Coordinator for
  the AAU Track and Field Event.
• Mike has been married to Maxine for 16 years and
  he has two children Alan and Willie.
• Mike loves to travel with his wife, fish, and
  attend sporting events, especially when his son
  was playing football at Ole Miss and Illinois
  State.
• He has been a United Way Coordinator and key
  player in the GOV fundraisers for the MSTU
  Section.
• Mike takes pride in always doing whatever it
  takes to help others.

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Public WorksDepartment Office
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Ralyne E. Westenhofer - 35 Years

• Ralyne was born in Maryland and raised in
  Michigan.
• She graduated from Detroit College of Business
  and attended Wayne State and Michigan State
  Universities, where she studied music.

• Ralyne was hired in 1972 as a Secretary II in the
  Engineering Department.
• In 1974, she was promoted to Secretary III and
  reclassified to Administrative Secretary.
• In 1991, she was reclassified to Executive
  Assistant.
• Ralynes entire career has been in Public Works
  and she has worked for five directors Tom
  Hastings, George Cole, Ajit Lalchandani, Bill
  Baxter and Mark Massaro.

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Ralyne Westenhofer 35 Years

• Ralyne joined the Central Florida Genealogical
  and Historical Society in 1977 and she has served
  as an officer for 22 years, including two as
  President.
• She has been a member of Florida Women in
  Government for 30 years and was honored with the
  Presidents Member of the Year Award in 2003.
• She is the first person from Orange County
  Government to serve as President. She is
  currently their Immediate Past-President,
  Historian and Newsletter Editor.
• Ralyne has played for several seasons with the
  Volusia Community Band and the Orange County
  Community Band.
• She joined a social club to learn ballroom
  dancing and has won a number of trophies.
• She was instrumental in tutoring Public Works
  personnel to earn their GED.
• Ralyne has baked as many as 25 dozen cookies
  during the holidays for bake sales.

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Ralyne Westenhofer 35 Years

• Ralyne has been the point person at Public Works
  for all Great Oaks Village fund raisers.
• She completed the Rollins College Leadership
  Program in 2001 and a special writing course for
  Engineers through the American Society of Civil
  Engineers.
• Her love of genealogy has taken her across the
  United States and Canada researching in
  libraries, attending conferences, and stomping
  through cemeteries.
• In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, reading,
  writing, poetry, and baking.
• Her brother Lee and sister-in-law Sharon are here
  today to congratulate Ralyne for her 35 years of
  service with Orange County Government.

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UtilitiesWater Reclamation
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Mark A. Robinson - 20 Years

• Mark was born and raised in Orlando.
• He graduated from Edgewater High School and
  Valencia Community College.

• In 1987, he joined Orange Countys Wastewater
  Division as a Maintenance Person II.
• He has been promoted to Operator Trainee,
  Operator IC/IB/IA and Plant Specialist I, II
  III.
• Mark is a member of the Orange Crush
  Operations Challenge Team that recently competed
  in the National Operations Challenge.

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Mark Robinson 20 Years

• Mark has worked his entire 20 years in Water
  Reclamation.
• He has been married to Kimberle for 19 years and
  they have six children Mark Jr., 21, who attends
  East Carolina University, is a senior on a
  football scholarship Trinity, 18, who attends
  Prairie View AM, is a freshman on a basketball
  scholarship Loren, 17, and Andre, 15, attend
  Lyman High School and Morgan, 13, and Xavier,
  12, attend Markham Woods Middle School.
• Mark enjoys fishing, basketball and attending his
  childrens football and basketball games.

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UtilitiesEngineering
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Christina R. Beatham - 25 Years

• Chris was born in Stuttgart, Germany and moved to
  Central Florida in 1980.
• She graduated from the Village of Armada, MI.
• She was hired in 1982 as the first female
  engineer for Utilities.

• She has been promoted several times Engineer II,
  Project Coordinator, Assistant to the Director,
  Acting Construction Division Manager and she is
  currently the Assistant Project Manager.

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Chris Beatham 25 Years

• Chris served a member of the team that developed
  the Countys Wellness Program. She was the
  Utilities Department Representative for the
  Chairman Chapin Targeted Community Initiatives in
  Bithlo, Winter Garden, South Apopka, and Taft
  areas.
• Chris created the Utilities Sewer Assessment
  Program.
• She was one of the original members of the
  Countys Contingency Group that trained in Mt.
  Weather.
• Chris was instrumental in guiding the creation of
  ESF-20 during emergency activations.
• She implemented the Countys Lakes and Wetlands
  Monitoring Program to support water consumption.
• She has been with Alan, her life partner, for 30
  years.
• Her outside interests include Gardening,
  cooking, photography, reading, traveling
  (especially to National Parks), and enjoying her
  Shetland sheepdog and cat.

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Awards Presentation

• Convention Center
• Sales and Events
• Carol Vahedian 20 Years
• Corrections
• In-Custody Security
• Yvonne Matos 20 Years
• Reginald H. Crawford 20 Years

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Awards Presentation

• Fire Rescue
• Operations
• Bobby J. Scott 20 Years
• Health and Family Services
• Health Services
• Boyd Dean Smith 30 Years

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Awards Presentation

• Public Works
• Traffic Engineering
• Frank Lewis 20 Years
• Joe Jackson 20 Years
• Roads and Drainage
• Mike Watts 20 Years

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Awards Presentation

• Public Works
• Department Office
• Ralyne Westenhofer 35 Years
• Utilities
• Water Reclamation
• Mark Robinson 20 Years

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Awards Presentation

• Utilities
• Engineering
• Christina Beatham 25 Years

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Employee Service Awards December 4, 2007