Eastern National Announces 2015 Award Winners

Eastern National is proud to announce the winners of its annual awards for 2015. The awards program was designed to acknowledge outstanding individual achievements and contributions that have had a positive impact on an EN operation or an individual park, thus furthering and promoting EN’s unique relationship with its partners.

Congratulations to the following 2015 awardees:

Charles S. Marshall Unit Award

The Charles S. Marshall Unit Award was presented to Appomattox Court House National Historical Park for exceptional teamwork and cooperation during the park’s commemorative anniversary events. EN will donate $2,500 to the park’s interpretive program. Each year, the Unit Award recognizes the most outstanding agency that has achieved noteworthy teamwork in promoting and aiding the historical, scientific, educational, interpretive, and operational activities of EN partners through EN agency operation. Teamwork is evidenced through agency growth, visitor service, product development, partner relations, and administration.

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Superior Performance Awards

Superior Performance Awards recognize outstanding partner management of an EN agency. They are awarded annually to the top four outstanding partner personnel, regardless of agency size. Superior Performance Awards were presented to:

• Billie Aschwege, visitor use assistant at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, for her management skills in ensuring the
  continuation of business during a staff transition.
• Lynne Dominy, chief of interpretation at Acadia National Park,
  for her support in increasing sales, finding and reviewing new
  products, opening new sales locations,
  and facilitating wholesale opportunities.
• Pamela Eddy, park ranger at Cumberland Gap National
  Historical Park, for her leadership and team building during a
  staff transition.
• Tara Morrison, superintendent of Rock Creek Park, for her
  leadership and support of partnership opportunities and activities during the park’s anniversaries in 2015.

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Herbert E. Kahler Award

The Herbert E. Kahler Award recognizes the EN partner judged to have cooperatively managed the most efficient and innovative agency. The winner of this award is selected from among the four Superior Performance Award winners. The Kahler Award was presented to Tara Morrison, superintendent of Rock Creek Park. She is pictured with EN CEO Kevin Kissling and her Superior Performance and Herbert E. Kahler awards.

 

 

 

 

 

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Dedicated Service Award 

The Dedicated Service Award was presented to Christine Hawthorne, park ranger at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. An exemplary Eastern National coordinator, Christine is recognized for her organizational skills, meticulous record keeping, development of store operating procedures, ideas for new products and better practices, and support of the transition of the bookstores into museum stores at Hopewell Furnace.

Distinguished Service Awards

Distinguished Service Awards recognize significant active service at a high level of excellence that has resulted in substantial contributions to EN. Distinguished Service Awards were presented to Monta Harrington, EN Metro New York regional manager, and William Price, site manager at Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center.

Customer Service Award

The Customer Service Award was presented to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Each year, this award recognizes the EN store staff with the highest average score in EN’s secret shopper program. The program evaluates the overall store appearance, product presentation, and staff professionalism.

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Special Achievement Awards 

Special Achievement Awards recognize exceptional performance in the area of store operations and partner relations.
Awards were presented to the following EN employees:

• Ann Cummings, unit manager at Acadia National Park, for her excellent management of 11 various sites,
  ensuring smooth operations and positive visitor experiences, and increasing sales.
• Allyson Dowdle-Pemble, site manager at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, for her exemplary
  professionalism and excellent communications in managing three stores, including one on a remote island,
  and generating sales that exceeded budget projections.
• Arkile Jackson, store lead associate at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
  Memorial, and Rock Creek Park’s Old Stone House, for his work ethic, dependability, and exceptional
  customer service.
• Carol C. Lewis, store associate at Canaveral National Seashore, for her creative merchandising and customer
  service skills that have resulted in an increase in sales.
• Barbara Luna, site manager at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, for her dedication
  during the park’s anniversary events to providing store visitors a positive experience, leading to a successful
  sales year.
• Carolyn Morris, store associate at Fort Caroline National Memorial/Kingsley Plantation, for her
  administrative skills, attention to detail, and expansion of the stores’ inventory, which resulted in a significant
  increase in sales.
• Jacqui Payne, site manager at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, for the energy, vision, and
  dynamics she brings to the store and streamlining processes and adding new inventory, which resulted in
  increased sales.
• Jesus Pinero, store associate at El Yunque National Forest, for going above and beyond his regular duties to
  enhance the visitor experience by providing interpretive talks.
• Dawn Sloboda, store associate at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, for taking an active role in supporting
  the park and promoting National Park Service programs by expanding the store’s selection of theme-related
  products.
• Mark Vineburg, operations support manager at Eastern National Headquarters, for his leadership and
  being instrumental in positioning the America’s National Parks Warehouse operations for significant growth in
  the future.