NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 12, 1997

TWO TO HOLD TOWN TITLE

CARY -- Breaking with tradition, the Town of Cary has selected two staff members--Shelly Davis and Paul Ray--as "Employee of the Year". The announcement came at Cary’s annual employee recognition luncheon held on Thursday at the Community Center.

"I feel really good," said Paul Ray, Chief of Operations & Maintenance for Cary’s North Wastewater Treatment Plant. "I’m honored that somebody thought enough to recommend me, and getting the award will make me work that much harder." Ray has been with the Town since 1988.

Animal Control Officer Shelly Davis really wasn’t expecting yesterday’s honor. "I’m very glad and extremely proud to have been chosen." Davis has worked with the Town since 1989.

"I’m really not surprised that this happened," remarked Personnel director John Brooks. "We have so many great people working for Cary, and it’s often difficult, no matter how objective the criteria, to value one person more than another."

By being selected as employees of the year, Ray and Davis will each receive a $1,000 savings bond and a plaque. In addition, images of the two will be the feature banner of the Town’s redesigned website, to be launched in early January.

The winners were selected from a pool of five finalists, all of whom were honored at a reception earlier this week. Those remaining three finalists--Lana Hygh, Kevin Tingen, and Laura White--will each receive a $200 savings bond as well as a certificate.

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.

"Paul and Shelly, as well as 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 they 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 Personnel department. Also honored at yesterday’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 45 individual employees were recognized for their contributions.

PRIMARY CONTACTS: Shelly Davis, Police Dept., 319-4517

Paul Ray, NCWWTP, 677-0850

John Brooks, Personnel Director, 469-4070

Bill Coleman, Town Manager, 469-4002

Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, 460-4951

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