Date: July 8, 2008

Vocational Rehabilitation Services honors western region ‘Superstars’

MORGANTON – Three employees of the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Monroe, Asheville and Albemarle are recipients of the division’s “VR Superstar Award” for excellence in leadership, customer service and creativity.

Employee volunteers manage the awards program in which agency staff nominate and vote on their co-workers.

• Jim Saxon, a rehabilitation counselor in the agency’s Monroe office, is cited for outstanding achievement in leadership. The award praises Saxon for actively seeking improvements in the way the division delivers services to its consumers and recruits and seeks to retain its employees. He’s also recognized for his community volunteer work, particularly in the criminal justice system.   

• Lori Massey, a human services coordinator in the Asheville Independent Living office, is cited for her customer service. The award notes “her ability to go above and beyond her job duties” to meet the needs of consumers “with an attitude of excellence and true concern” and her individual efforts at organizing volunteers to make homes more accessible for their occupants with disabilities.    

• Nancy Rummage, a rehabilitation counselor in the agency’s Albemarle office, is cited for her creativity. The award honors Rummage for “making the vocational rehabilitation process more efficient and user-friendly” for her clients and for “her hard work and innovative approaches,” particularly with developing new sources of client referrals to the agency.

The N.C. Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services provides counseling, training, education, medical, transportation and other services to people with physical or mental disabilities in order to help them become independent, job-ready or both. Last year, the agency assisted over 6,000 North Carolinians in achieving employment.