The 2015 Gaines Stout Member of the Year award was given to Brandi Poage at this year’s annual convention. Brandi is president of the Tulsa Oklahoma Employment Security Commission OPEA chapter and has worked hard during the past year to revive the OESC Chapter after it had gone dormant in the last few years. Previous to serving as president, she was vice president and assumed the responsibilities of president when the chapter president left the agency. Brandi planned several activities for the chapter such as donation drive for the John 3:16 Mission. She has also been active statewide and participated in the convention each year. At her workplace, she has organized several membership recruitment events over the past, and a grievance training workshop.
This annual award is given in honor of one of OPEA’s founding members, Gaines Stout, who was instrumental in the founding of OPEA in 1975.