NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 1998

MURRAY NAMED TOWN OF CARY’S
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

CARY, NC – Cary Police Officer Allan Murray, Jr. has been selected to receive the Town of Cary’s 10^th annual Employee of the Year award. By being selected as Cary’s Employee of the Year, Murray will receive a $1,000 savings bond and a plaque. In addition, images of and information about Murray will be featured on the Town’s website. The announcement came at Cary’s annual employee recognition luncheon held early today at the Cary Community Center.

"This is very special and unexpected," said Murray shortly after receiving the award. "It’s great to be recognized, and there are so many others

who deserve this award just as much. Cary is a great place to work."

"I feel really good," said Murray, Master Police Officer and member of Cary’s Traffic Safety Unit and the department’s Special Response Team. "I’m honored that somebody thought enough to recommend me, and getting the award will make me work that much harder." Murray has been with the Town for nine years.

Murray was selected from a pool of three finalists, all of whom were honored at a reception earlier this week. The remaining two finalists—Mary Barry and Johnsie Dickerson--will each receive a $200 savings bond as well as a certificate.

In addition to his traffic assignments, Murray is an instructor in the department, teaching such classes as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Highway Incident Management, and Child Occupant Protection and Enforcement. He holds the highest level of certification as a PR-24 side handed baton instructor and is one of only a few officers in North Carolina certified in Child Passenger Safety. He is active in NC Operation Lifesaver and the Wake County Highway Incident Management Committee.

"Allan is the most dependable, conscientious, and hard-working person that I have ever worked with," said Lt. Doug Scott, Murray’s supervisor.

To be eligible for the Employee of the Year honor, Town of Cary staff members had to be nominated by either a co-worker or a citizen. Each nominee was evaluated by a panel of Town employees who individually ranked the nominees based on their relative commitment to the job, interaction with their various publics, pursuit of professional development, and participation in their community. This year, there were 19 employees nominated for the honor, and three of the employee-judges were former Town employees of the year.

"Allan and the other finalists are great examples of the fine professionals we have working with us at the Town of Cary," said Town Manager Bill Coleman. "I know the citizens of Cary would join me in thanking all of our staff for the excellent service all the Town employees provide each day."

Selecting the Employee of the Year comes at the end of the Town’s week-long employee recognition activities coordinated by the Town’s Human Resources Department. Also honored at today’s luncheon were those employees who had 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service as well as those employees who retired this year from Town service. In all, more than 57 individual employees were recognized for their contributions.

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PRIMARY CONTACTS: Allan Murray, Police Dept., 469-4022
John Brooks, Human Resources Director, 469-4070
Bill Coleman, Town Manager, 469-4002
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, 460-4951