City and County of Honolulu News Releases

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CITY HONORS EMPLOYEE AND MANAGER OF THE YEAR   (Thurs., Oct. 27, 2011) — A police sergeant who created a successful program to help high-risk youth and an assistant division chief who reduced department overtime by 47 percent were named as the City Employee and Manager of the Year, at a ceremony recognizing the top employees on Wednesday, October 26, at the Mission Memorial Auditorium.   The City's Employee of the Year, Metropolitan Police Sergeant Lawrence F. Santos, Jr. of the Honolulu Police Department, developed and implemented programs that have benefitted our community. One program involved a business leader and farm owner in directing high-risk juveniles away from crime and teaching them valuable life skills. Middle and high school students from low-income housing projects participated in a four-week program growing vegetables and herbs at Nalo Farms. The program was so successful that the farm hired two of the participants as full-time staff workers.   In addition to organizing and implementing established HPD programs, Sergeant Santos tailored these programs for specific areas. Because of increased pedestrian fatalities and injuries in Downtown Honolulu, he had a pedestrian safety brochure translated to several languages to meet the needs of the area's multi-ethnic population.   The City Manager of the Year, Assistant Division Chief Lan Yoneda of the Department of Facility Maintenance, is credited with reducing overtime for fiscal year 2011 by 47 percent while maintaining core services despite employee furloughs and increased staff vacancies, which reached nearly 40 percent.   Yoneda worked with key department supervisors to identify workers' concerns which resulted in motivating staff, improving teamwork and elevating the quality of work being performed. He effectively communicated the importance of daily tasks, and the need for worker safety and necessary equipment throughout his department.   Also honored at the ceremony were 18 departmental Employees of the Year (including Sergeant Santos), seven finalists for Manager of the Year (including Assistant Chief Yoneda), the Outstanding Deputy Corporation Counsel and Outstanding Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, and three Valor Award recipients.   Serving on the Selection Committee were: Ramond Fujino, Interim Executive Director of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, Glen Hayashida, Chief Executive Director of the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, and Lori Suan, Executive Director of the American Heart Association - Hawaii Division.     -30-   Contact: Jody Serikawa at 768-8538.