NACo presents its workforce development awards in three categories: the Distinguished Service Award, the Joe Cooney Service Award, and the Awards for Excellence. Winners were honored at a special recognition luncheon during the annual Workforce Development and Human Services Conference. This year’s winners are listed below.
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award honors county elected officials who have shown extraordinary leadership and commitment to workforce development.
Jeremy Harris
Mayor of the City and County
Honolulu, Hawaii
During his eight years as mayor, Harris forged partnerships between the city and county, and more than 1,500 businesses and nonprofit organizations to develop people’s job skills and put them back to work in better jobs. He was instrumental in setting up WorkHawaii, which became the lead agency for the Oahu One-Stop Consortium and also formed a strategic partnership with the Small Business Administration to create the Small Business Resource Center.
Ken Jude
Commissioner
Wright County, Minn.
Commissioner Jude has exhibited outstanding leadership qualities, fostering strong partnerships between government agencies, business and other related services in the community. An active member of the Minnesota Workforce Council Association, he has promoted local control of workforce development and one-stop centers for years. He was a key participant in the creation of the Economic Development Partnership of Wright County, a private-public partnership to assist the county in economic development and workforce development efforts.
Joe Cooney Service Award
The Joe Cooney Service Award honors an individual who has performed a substantial role in developing or initiating an innovative program that is successful in addressing employment or related needs of disadvantaged people.
Randy Allenbaugh
Manager of Quality and
Human Resources
Gasparre Products, Inc.
Member, North Central PA
Workforce Investment Board
and Youth Council
Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean counties, Pa.
Allenbaugh has been a key link in establishing a strong private sector commitment to workforce development efforts in Jefferson County and throughout north-central Pennsylvania. Other area employers are now replicating the efforts Allenbaugh and Gasparre Products have begun.
Awards for Excellence
The Awards for Excellence are presented to exemplary programs in workforce development.
Dislocated WorkerTraining Initiative
Central/Western Maine Workforce Investment Board
Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford and Somerset Counties, Maine
North Central Texas Workforce Business Services Unit
North Central Texas Workforce Development Board
14 counties in north-central Texas
Fill-the-Gap Project Cluster
The Workplace, Inc.
Southwestern Connecticut Regional Workforce Development Board
H-1B Technical Skills Training – Information Technology
Illinois Local Workforce Investment Area
Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Woodford counties and the city of Peoria, Ill.
Auto-Mation 2002
Thumb Area Michigan Works!
Huron, Lapeer, Saneer and Tuscola counties, Mich.
South Bay One-Stop Quality Certification System
South Bay Workforce Investment Board
Hawthorne, Calif.
Hartford Construction
Jobs Initiative
Capital Region Workforce Development Board
Hartford, Conn.
