2017
Several staff members were honored for their outstanding work in the operation of the agency by receiving 2017 Pinnacle Awards:
Employee of the Year: James Wilson -Cummins Unit
Supervisor of the Year: Lamont Wimbley – Administration Annex East
Correctional Supervisor of the Year: Ronald Gillihan – North Central Unit and Laura Cook-Cummins Unit
Correctional Officer of the Year: Tiantha Westbrook – East Arkansas Unit and Malcomb Crompton – Varner Unit
Deputy Warden of the Year: Anthony Jackson – Ouachita River Correctional Unit
Superintendent of the Year: William Straughn – Cummins Unit
Director’s Outstanding Service Award: K-9 Division – John Maples, Eddie Powell, Tony Baugh, Chris Brown, Jeremy Campbell, Christopher Griffith, Billy Hayes, Jonathan Lawrence, Corey Lowery, Dennis Reap, and Ronald Watson
Director’s Citation of Excellence Award in Programming: Nicole Smart – Central Office
Director’s Citation of Excellence Award in Security: Jacqueline Owens – Varner Unit
Hero Award: Randy Straughn – Varner Unit.
2016
Winners of the ADC’s 2016 Pinnacle Awards, the highest recognition of achievement within the agency, included:
Employee of the Year: Abby Rizor – Grimes Correctional Facility and Jeremy Cottrell – North Central Unit
Supervisor of the Year: Connie Dean – Pine Bluff Unit
Correctional Supervisor of the Year: Kenyon Randle – East Arkansas Regional Unit
Correctional Officer of the Year: Latoya Eason – Construction Division
Deputy Warden of the Year: DeAngelo Earl – Grimes Unit
Warden of the Year: Joe Page – Delta Regional Unit
Director’s Outstanding Service Award: Richard Meeks – Construction Division and Mike Carraway – Administrative Annex East
Director’s Citation of Excellence Award: Ozell Pace – Varner Unit and Judy Taylor – Central Office
Hero Award: Lance Hall – Training Academy and Joel Crook – Ouachita River Unit.
2015
ADC gathered at the Pine Bluff Country Club for the presentation of the Pinnacle Awards. Winners were:
Employee of the Year: Patty Green – Wrightsville Unit and Ayn Freygang – Central Office
Supervisor of the Year: Jason Martin – Farm Division and Debra Scott – Delta Regional Unit
Correctional Supervisor of the Year: Rodney King – Pine Bluff Unit and Terry Doyle – East Arkansas Regional Unit
Correctional Officer of the Year: Johnnie Harris – Delta Regional Unit and Adam Helm – Ouachita River Correctional Unit
Deputy Warden of the Year: Toni Bradley – Wrightsville Unit and Jared Byers – Cummins Unit
Superintendent of the Year: Dexter Payne – Wrightsville Unit and Randy Watson – Varner Unit
Director’s Outstanding Service Award: Brandon Carroll – Randall L. Williams Unit, Steven Ricketts – Randall L. Williams Unit, Randy Shores – Central Office, and Raymond Naylor – Central Office
Director’s Citation of Excellence Award: Garrett Scifres – IT, Robert Carter – ACI, Shurrel Freeman – Randall L. Williams Unit, and Darren Dill – Cummins Unit
The following individuals were recognized for their military service: Daniel Mitchell – Benton Unit, Philip Esaw – Cummins Unit, Mark Herndon – Cummins Unit, Connie Heard – Max Unit, Juan Morgan – McPherson Unit, Gunner Pritchard – Ouachita River Correctional Unit, Rodney Gaynor – Randall L. Williams Unit, Joseph Walker – Randall L. Williams Unit, Donald Austin – TRWRC, Marquis Creggett – Tucker Unit, Jeremy Crosby – Tucker Unit, Marcus Watkins – Varner Unit, Austin Ezell – Wrightsville/Hawkins Unit, and Courtney L. McClina – Wrightsville/Hawkins Unit
These individuals were recognized for their educational achievements: Rory Griffin – Central Office, Cyndi Vent – Central Office, James Mize – East Arkansas Regional Unit, Andrew Ruh – Max Unit, Chase Lettenmaier – McPherson Unit, Karen Payne – North Central Unit, Gary Musselwhite – Ouachita River Correctional Unit, Byrone Miller – Pine Bluff Unit, Gloria Traylor – Transportation, Sheila Lowden-Smith – Tucker Unit, Jeremy Andrews – Varner Unit, Jerry Gray – Wrightsville Unit, and Jeannie Lucas – Wrightsville/Hawkins Unit
2014
Arkansas Department of Correction employees gathered at the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock for the presentation of the Pinnacle Awards. Winners were:
Employee of the Year: Ardella Bearden – Director’s Staff
Supervisor of the Year: Teresa Funderburg – Administrative Services
Correctional Officer of the Year: Stanley Ray Hendon – Northwest Arkansas Work Release Center
Correctional Supervisor of the Year: Cordall Akins – Randall Williams Unit
Deputy/Assistant Warden of the Year: James ‘Hoot’ Gibson – Delta Unit
Warden of the Year: Dexter Payne – Wrightsville Unit
Hero Award: Kim Lum – Delta Unit
Director’s Citation of Excellence: Cpl. Heath Branscum, Sgt. Kyle Moody, and Lt. Steven Lively – North Central Unit
Director’s Outstanding Service Awards: Marvin Evans, Essie Clay, Sandra Kennedy, Lover Polk, Jeremy Andrews, and Jada Lawrence.
2013
The Pinnacle Award winners were:
Employee of the Year: Kenneth DeWitt – McPherson Unit
Correctional Officer of the Year: John Maples – Tucker Unit
Supervisor/Administrator of the Year: Dream Redic-Young – Ouachita River Correctional Unit
Correctional Supervisor of the Year: Merlin Fitzpatrick – Cummins Unit
Deputy/Assistant Warden of the Year: Nurzuhal Faust – McPherson Unit
Warden of the Year: Danny Burl – East Arkansas Unit
Director’s Citation of Excellence: Norma Gillom – Ouachita River Correctional Unit, Gaylon Lay – Cummins Unit, and Serena McCoy – Delta Regional Unit
Director’s Outstanding Service Award: Sheila Sharp, Wendy Kelley, Leon Starks, and Larry May.
