Three cheers for March Bravo winners
Congratulations to Flora Garcia, Housing & Community Development, Officer Heidi Ruiz, Police, and Sandra Farmer, Library, left to right, selected as Bravo Award winners for excellent work and contributions to the community. Mayor Bill White and Councilwoman Ada Edwards recognized them at City Council March 21 with a mayor’s certificate. For more information, visit
www.houstontx.gov.
New face, same body
Mario Duarte, Aviation, was honored by the United States Engineers Week Foundation as one of 2006’s most promising new faces in engineering. Duarte, an industrial engineer for the public safety and technology division, was selected for his research and development work in homeland security. He helped design a specialized mathematics-based security, threat, and vulnerability analysis method.
Sparking an award
The Texas Government/Agency Partnership presented the Crystal Award to the city’s SPARK Park program at the Texas Association of Partners in Education state conference in Austin. SPARK, a nonprofit program begun in 1983 by former City Councilwoman Eleanor Tinsley, helps public schools develop their playgrounds into community parks. The award recognized SPARK’s successful collaboration with HISD, the Housing & Community Development Department, Harris County, and private foundations.
Reliving the response
Dawn Ullrich, director of the Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department, spoke about the city’s experiences during hurricanes Katrina and Rita at the Today’s Facility Manager Show in Chicago. In May, Ullrich makes a presentation in Las Vegas.
Arbor Day honor
During Arbor Day ceremonies Jan. 20, Harish Jajoo, Public Works & Engineering, was honored by Mayor Bill White and the Parks & Recreation Department for his efforts to preserve and promote trees. Jajoo helped make tree preservation and protection a major part of capital improvement plan projects.
Multiple municipal channel awards
The Municipal Channel isn’t standing around watching history; it’s winning awards. In 2005, it won 14.
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors awarded the station first place for its “Houston All-Star Game Impact” show. Myles Taylor reported and Chris Pinon was the photographer and editor.
The channel won six awards from the NATOA Texas branch. “Big River,” reported by Taylor and photographed by Carlos Gonzalez and Pinon, who also served as editor with Mezgebe Desta, won first place. So did “Stop Trashing Houston,” produced by Paul Voltz of Planning & Development, photographed by Pinon and Bill Ralston, and edited by Pinon with Daryl Hughes as production assistant. “Focus on Abilities,” directed, photographed and edited by Gonzalez and Desta, took second place. “Taking it to the Streets – HPD,” hosted by Councilman Michael Berry and photographed and edited by Pinon, and “City News Update,” hosted by Carol Herrera, reported by Taylor, and directed and edited by Pinon, took third place.
At the Pegasus Awards, the channel took awards of excellence for: “Big River,” “Focus on Abilities,” and “Stop Trashing Houston.”
Pegasus awards of honor went to: “Art Car Parade,” photographed by Hughes and Gonzalez, who also edited it with Taylor; “The Nutcracker,” directed and photographed by Gonzalez and Desta, who also edited it; “Heartbeat of Houston-BARC,” hosted by Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, produced by Lisa Dimond of City Council offices, and photographed and edited by Gonzalez; and “Houston All-Star Game Impact.”
“Destination Houston – Furniture Bank and Designing Divas,” hosted by former Councilman Gordon Quan and photographed and edited by Pinon, won a Pegasus award of distinction.
