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  • NEWSROOM: STATE AGENCY CELEBRATES 100 YEARS WHILE HONORING EMPLOYEES AT ANNUAL MEETING

    Oct. 27, 2015 — COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Over 500 Texas A&M Forest Service employees came together Tuesday to celebrate the agency’s centennial year and one another.

    The agency’s annual personnel meeting was held at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum giving all employees the opportunity to view the exhibit on display: “Texas A&M Forest Service: History in the Making,” an homage to 100 years of TFS’s dedication to the state of Texas.

    That dedication has been evident over the past several months. Since August 1, TFS has responded to 606 wildfires for 97,370 acres, bringing the total number of wildfires for the year to 3,660 for 119,937 acres. The agency, with help from Texas A&M University student group Aggie Replant, is also on track to plant nearly four million seedlings in the Lost Pines area by 2017. The group planted 150,000 pine seedlings in Bastrop State Park in February.

    The Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp addressed the group with a special thank you.

    “On behalf of The Texas A&M University System, thank you for what you add to the rest of The Texas A&M System — thank you for making us look good,” Sharp said.

    While those in attendance had the opportunity to reflect on the past, the main message focused on the agency’s next century of service, displaying technology, methods and techniques in use to position the agency as leaders in forestry.

    “We are very proud of our heritage. We have so much to be thankful for today and to celebrate, plus so much to look forward to as we enter the next 100 years beginning today,” Tom Boggus, Texas state forester and director of Texas A&M Forest Service, said.

    As employees from across the state came together to reflect on the previous year’s accomplishments, those who have served the agency and state of Texas were recognized.

    Fifty-six employees were recognized for five or more years of service, including Boggus who celebrates 35 years at TFS this year. Others who have 35 years with TFS this year are John Boyette, Nacogdoches; Daniel Duncum, Longview; Lee McNeely, Linden; and Tom Spencer, College Station.

    One of Duncum’s primary roles is to pass on lessons learned, best management practices and TFS culture to new employees.

    “I’ve been here for 35 percent of TFS’s existence and when I saw that the original patch was the one I was hired on with, I began to connect with our history. I look forward to educating new employees and sharing the things I’ve learned over the years,” TFS Staff Forester Duncum said.

    Additional awards were issued to the following Texas A&M Forest Service employees who have made significant contributions to the agency’s efforts over the year:

    Director’s Award for Support Staff
    Field: Jarred Lemmon, law enforcement investigator, Linden
    Lemmon is recognized for his can-do approach to his job. He took on the added responsibility of being a K9 handler, spending a great amount of personal time training and caring for one of TFS’s arson dogs.

    Professional: Don Hannemann, program coordinator for TFS’s Emergency Operations Center, College Station
    Hannemann is recognized for his work on the Integrated Reporting of Wildland Fire Information project, a National Wildfire Coordinating Group effort. On the committee, Hannemann represented the 50 states and worked with five federal agencies.

    Office: Aldyth Lewis, staff assistant for the associate director’s office, College Station
    Lewis is recognized for her outstanding service and support to her division and to the communications staff. Lewis took on the most challenging jobs, was timely and meticulous in her work while being considerate and supportive of others.


    Charles Krenek Award for Resource Specialist Steven Moore, resource specialist, Smithville
    Moore is recognized for his development, management and leadership of the Lone Star State Hand Crew. He has led the team on dozens of missions across the state and a successful first out-of-state mission. Steven is an outstanding example of leadership for the agency.


    Director’s Award for Team Effort
    Website Redesign Steering Committee
    Gretchen Riley, Jordy Herrin, Don Hannemann, Don Galloway, Jeremy Lang, Nikki Mahapatra, and Brian Hecht
    This steering committee led a team of over 50 people from all parts of the agency to accomplish a redesign of the public facing TFS website, with the goal to provide the public and our employees with quick and efficient access to important and reliable information.


    Director’s Award for Technical Forestry
    James Houser, regional forest health coordinator, Austin
    Houser is recognized for his promotion of forestry and TFS throughout Austin and the surrounding areas. He was also instrumental in organizing a cross-agency team and outside parties to identify the core threat, and develop a viable improvement plan for restoring Ponderosa Pine in the Davis Mountains.


    D.A. “Andy” Anderson I&E Award
    Nick Harrison, FireWise coordinator, Fort Worth
    Harrison is recognized for his outstanding efforts in the Ready, Set, Go! program across Texas and nationally. Since its formation by the International Association of Fire Chiefs in March 2011, he was diligent in promoting RSG! benefits to fire departments statewide.


    Director’s Award for Good Samaritan
    Allen Smith, regional forest health coordinator; Eric Taylor, silviculturist; Jason Ellis, district forester
    In August, Smith, Taylor and Ellis were meeting with Texas Forestry Association members to plan a tree farm tour when a car full of teenagers careened off the road and into a large pine tree. Our employees immediately responded, physically assisting with extrication of the passengers and rendering aid and support.

    ###
    Editors Note: The library exhibit “Texas A&M Forest Service: History in the Making” is open to the public through Nov. 8.


    Photos are available on our Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/texasforestservice/sets


    Texas A&M Forest Service Contact:
    Brooke Catalena, communications specialist 979-458-6605, bcatalena@tfs.tamu.edu
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