Delaware Honors State Employees in Public Service Recognition Week Ceremony at Modern Maturity Center in Dover

DOVER, Del. – Today, Delaware celebrated its dedicated state employees at the Governor’s Annual Employee Awards Ceremony, held during Public Service Recognition Week, May 3-9, 2026. The event served as a tribute to the commitment, creativity, and courage of public servants across state government. The ceremony was livestreamed and is available for viewing online.

“Every day, in communities large and small, Delaware’s public servants exemplify excellence in the workforce,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “This morning, we celebrated those whose exceptional service has made a difference in the lives of all Delawareans.”

“Our state employees inspire us every day with their dedication and passion for service,” said Yvonne Anders Gordon, Secretary of the Department of Human Resources. “This annual event shines a spotlight on the countless ways their efforts shape a brighter future for Delaware.”

As part of today’s ceremony, awards were presented across these categories:

• Delaware Award for Excellence and Commitment in State Service
• Governor’s Team Excellence Awards: Champions Award and GEAR P3 Innovation & Efficiency Award
• GEAR P3 Trailblazer Award
• Delaware Award for Heroism

During the ceremony, the Delaware Award for Heroism was renamed as the Corporal Grade One Matthew T. “Ty” Snook Delaware Award for Heroism, in honor of his service and sacrifice. Going forward, the award will be presented under this name. Members of his family were in attendance and were presented with commemorative certificates and flowers.

The following provides a rundown of awards presented at today’s ceremony to acknowledge state employees and teams for their excellence and commitment to public service in 2025.

Award details and nomination information are available on DHR’s employee recognition page.

DELAWARE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE AND COMMITMENT IN STATE SERVICE AWARD

The Delaware Award for Excellence and Commitment in State Service Award is presented to up to five State of Delaware employees, or small teams of up to five employees, who demonstrate the highest standards of excellence and commitment in state service.

Recipients of the award are:

• April Arrington, Department of Transportation
• Laurie Cahall, Department of Health and Social Services
• Jeff Leonard, Department of Transportation
• Aaron Schrader, Department of Human Resources
• Eva Steele, Department of Health and Social Services

GOVERNOR’S TEAM EXCELLENCE AWARDS

The Governor’s Team Excellence Awards are presented annually to teams of six to 20 state employees. This award category includes the Champions Award and the GEAR P3 Innovation & Efficiency Award. These awards celebrate collaboration and highlight teams that use continuous quality improvement tools to exceed in leadership, team interaction and communication to exceptional customer service and measurable outcomes.

Champions Award: This award honors teams that show exceptional understanding of continuous quality improvement methods and deliver, produce proven results that enhance efficiency, boost customer satisfaction, or reduce costs.

Recipients of this award are:

• • Alternative Fuel Vehicle Team, Department of Transportation
  • Avian Influenza Response Team, Department of Agriculture
  • Blackbird Creek Bridge Replacement Team, Department of Transportation

GEAR P3 Innovation & Efficiency Award: This premier award recognizes teams that go beyond applying continuous improvement tools – they drive innovation, create best practices, and deliver proven results that are sustainable, scalable, and adaptable to other areas of government. These teams set the standard for excellence and serve as role models for others.

The recipients of this award are:

• • Continuous Quality Improvement Post-Permanency Success Committee, Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families
  • Delaware Treatment and Referral Network Care Coordination Platform (DTRN360) Team, Department of Health and Social Services

GEAR P3 TRAILBLAZER AWARD

The GEAR P3 Trailblazer Award honors individuals or small teams of employees who have led the way in improving how State government works. Recipients are recognized for using continuous improvement tools to boost efficiency, enhance effectiveness, and strengthen accountability. Their work delivers measurable results and sets a standard that’s impactful, sustainable, and adaptable across agencies.

Recipients of the award are:

• Juvenile Civil Citation Team, Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families
• The Smart Simple Implementation Team, Department of Safety and Homeland Security
• Systems Integration with Meal Providers Team, Department of Health and Social Services
• Taylor Shannon, Department of Safety and Homeland Security

The GEAR P3 Trailblazer Award and the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency Award were established through the support of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board and a Public-Private Partnership (P3) between the State of Delaware and the local business community. Corporate sponsors include Becker Morgan Group, Buccini Pollin Group (BPG), Corporation Service Company (CSC), Delmarva Power, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware, JPMorgan Chase Bank, M&T Bank, Morris James LLP, The Precisionists Inc. (TPI), and W.L. Gore & Associates.

“As chairman of the GEAR P3 Taskforce for the State of Delaware’s GEAR initiative, I am thrilled that the private sector, with the strong backing of the Delaware Business Roundtable and the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, has continued to partner with The State of Delaware on the Public-Private Partnership (P3) Governor’s Innovation & Efficiency, and Trailblazer Awards. This program continues the efforts towards a better government by incentivizing innovation and recognizing state employees and teams on outstanding accomplishments,” said Ernie Dianastasis, CEO of TPI.

DELAWARE AWARD FOR HEROISM

The Delaware Award for Heroism recognizes state employees who have demonstrated outstanding judgment, exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind, and unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her own personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect human life and/or property.

The recipients are:

• Darrin Coverdale, Adam DeLucia, Mario Glover, Patricia Hunt, Carol Lacey, James Pyle, and Crystal Reaves, Department of Transportation
• Brian Downward, David Faulkner, and Waylon Mabrey, Department of Transportation
• Mary Clark, Department of Transportation
• Stewart Douglass, Department of Transportation
• Christopher Coulston, Jason Leshem, and Greg Neal, Department of Transportation
• James Rash and Trevor Rummel, Department of Transportation
• Stephen Bayer, Derek Sapp, Ryan Schroder, Randhir Sharma, and Kelly Valencik, Department of Transportation
• Mark Ferguson, Department of Health and Social Services
• Andrea Flores-Cornejo, Dan Logan, Maria Mesias-Tatnall, Jenna Milecki, Guillermo Santiago, and Paige Schmittinger, Department of Justice
• Hayley Mehalshick, Savannah Rust, and Amanda West, Department of Labor

To view the ceremony, visit https://www.youtube.com/@DelawareGovernment. Photos from today’s event are available on DHR’s Flickr.

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