Gov. David Ige, DHS Dir. Pankaj Bhanot, and DHS Deputy Dir. Bridget Holthus ready to announce the employee of the year.
The Department of Human Services filled the Hawai‘i State Capitol Auditorium with some of its brightest stars on Friday, November 4. The annual department incentive and service awards, organized by the Personnel Office, decked the often sterile room out with flowers and stars to celebrate our DHS team.
Mark Patterson of the Hawai‘i Youth Correctional Facility was honored as manager of the year.
Team members who served 10, 20, 30, and 40 years with DHS were honored in the morning ceremony. Governor David Ige, the special guest of the ceremony, tallied the number of years being honored for length of service. The total was more than 1,000 years – or more than a millennium – served just among those celebrating years of service.
Andrew Medeiros of Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority poses with Dir. Bhanot, HPHA Executive Director Hakim Ouansafi, and Gov. Ige.
In addition to years of service awards, the DHS incentive awards highlights staff members, a manager, and a team whose performance this year was outstanding. The awards celebrate hard work, dedication, perseverance, innovation, team work, and so much more of some of our best and brightest DHS team members.
In the coming months, you will get to meet some of the individuals honored and their work. For now, please join me in congratulating those who have served 10 year increments of service and those whose outstanding work were recognized this month.
The Multi-Skilled Worker Pilot Program in the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority accepts the honor as team of the year.