It’s once again time to nominate deserving OPEA members and chapters for our association’s annual awards. OPEA members and chapters exhibiting exceptional dedication to OPEA’s mission will be honored at this year’s annual convention in August at the Lodge at Sequoyah State Park. Three individual awards and one chapter award will be selected. We hope you will take time to nominate someone you know who has worked hard for OPEA during the past year. Nominations are currently being accepted for the following awards.
Gaines Stout Award – Member of the Year
Recognizes a member who has exhibited leadership in promoting OPEA’s goals and objectives. It is named for Gaines Stout who, with seven other Department of Transportation employees, founded OPEA in 1975. He was OPEA president from 1975 through 1978.
Regional Directors are not eligible for this award. The nominee must be an OPEA member in good standing. The honoree will be assessed on the following criteria
- Chapter positions held
- Activities the nominee has helped organize
- Participation in OPEA Days at the Capitol
- Participation in previous year’s annual convention
- Participation in chapter functions including number attended
- Recruitment of new members including number of members included
- Years of OPEA membership
Art Jackson Award – Chapter of the Year
Recognizes a chapter that hat excelled far beyond the minimum requirements in the association’s bylaws. It is named for former OPEA president Art Jackson who served in 1979,1980 and 1989. He too was a founding member.
The nomination should describe the chapter’s accomplishments for the past year and must include a scrapbook or other form of reviewable record to show last year’s activities. The honored chapter will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Number of new members enrolled during the past year
- Legislative advocacy activities, including documented letters sent to legislators by chapter members and participation at OPEA Days at the Capitol
- Dates of chapter meetings
- Dates of chapter officer meetings
- New member recruitment activities
- Chapter attendance at previous year’s annual convention
- Special projects and programs conducted
- Other activities such as chapter newsletter and community activities
Pat Hall Award -Volunteer of the Year
This award is presented to an OPEA member who is not elected official in OPEA but is always available to help with association and chapter activities. It is named for Pat Hall, OPEA’s first executive director. Additionally, the nomination may include the nominee’s willingness to help others as documented by community volunteer activities. The honoree will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Activities the nominee has helped organize
- OPEA events attended
- Ways the nominee has helped recruit new members
- Role new member has played in development of OPEA
- Community activities in which nominee has participated
- How OPEA has benefited due to nominee’s actions
- How results of nominees actions can be measured as innovative and unique
- What special qualities the nominee exhibits
Past Presidents Award – Retiree of the Year
This award is presented to a member who has retired from state employment. The nominee will be assessed on the following criteria. It is named in recognition of all past OPEA presidents.
- Nominee’s active involvement in OPEA
- Attendance in at least two-thirds of chapter activities
- Attendance in previous year’s annual convention
- Has been retired for at least one year
- Nominee’s political activity.
Nominations must be received by OPEA no later than 5 p.m. on July 29th and may be emailed to Dixie Jackson or mailed to Dixie Jackson, OPEA, 13 NE 28th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.
