HCPS Superintendent, Dr. John Bryant, was one of five public school superintendents in the Western North Carolina region to receive the “Extraordinary Public Service Award” from the Land of Sky Regional Council, as part of their Annual Awards conferred last month.
Dr. Bryant was surprised with the award on Monday, Dec. 13, during the regularly scheduled school board meeting by Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk, representing the LOS Regional Council as board chair.
Dr. Bryant and his peers Dr. Will Hoffman (Madison County Public Schools), Dr. Tony Baldwin (Buncombe County Public Schools), Dr. Gene Freeman (Asheville City Schools), and Dr. Jeff McDaris (Transylvania County Schools) were conferred this award “in appreciation for their devotion, commitment and exemplary service as public school Superintendents in our region during these extraordinary times,” according to a press release from the Land of Sky Regional Council.
“Their unwavering dedication to our citizens has helped our region respond to the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the release states.
From the Land of Sky Regional Council press release:
Land of Sky Regional Council’s Annual Awards were conferred during the December Board of Delegates Meeting on December 1, 2021. The Robert G. Parrish, Sr. Intergovernmental Relations Award, The Charles H. Campbell Regional Leadership Award and The Robert E. Shepherd Excellence in Local Government Award were presented by Land of Sky Regional Council Board Chair, Barbara Volk, and Executive Director, Nathan Ramsey. In addition, there were six Extraordinary Public Leadership Awards conferred this year.
The Robert G. Parrish, Sr. Intergovernmental Relations Award is given in honor of the late Council Chairman and first Mayor of Fletcher. It is presented at the discretion of the Council’s Executive Committee to an elected or appointed official who has made significant contributions to improving intergovernmental relations. This year the award was presented to Buncombe County Manager, Avril Pinder, for her contributions to Buncombe County, the Land of Sky Region, and the State of North Carolina.
The Charles H. Campbell Regional Leadership Award was named for four-time Council Chairman and long-time Brevard Mayor who himself received a national award for regional leadership in 1977. The award was dedicated in 1983 to annually honor an outstanding contributor to the betterment of Western North Carolina and the Land of Sky Region. The Council’s Executive Committee awards it to another Council Member who has made a major long-term contribution to the Council and its governance. This year the award was presented to former Village of Flat Rock Council Member and Land of Sky Regional Council executive board member, Albert Gooch, for his dedication and leadership to Land of Sky Regional Council and Western North Carolina.
The Robert E. Shepherd Excellence in Local Government Award is presented at the Council’s discretion to a local government professional who has shown great leadership in improving governance and service delivery, especially in the areas of regional cooperation and collaboration. Dedicated in 2016, this award honors Land of Sky Regional Council’s first Executive Director of 30 years. This year’s award was presented to Dr. Jim Meyer for his generous volunteer support to the staff of Land of Sky Regional Council.
Extraordinary Public Service Award
This year, the Council bestowed this award on Public School Superintendents in the region and retiring Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Jeff Heck. Dr. Will Hoffman, Madison County Public Schools, Dr. Tony Baldwin, Buncombe County Public Schools, Dr. Gene Freeman, Asheville City Schools, Dr. John Bryant, Henderson County Public Schools, and Dr. Jeff McDaris, Transylvania County Public Schools were awarded this award in appreciation for their devotion, commitment and exemplary service as Public School Superintendents in our region during these extraordinary times. Their unwavering dedication to our citizens has helped our region respond to the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Jeff Heck is retiring from MAHEC after a tenure of tremendous growth at MAHEC. During Dr. Heck’s tenure the staff and budget at MAHEC have grown over three times and through his leadership he has helped establish the Asheville branch campus of the UNC School of Medicine. Land of Sky Regional Council is grateful for their exemplary leadership and
dedication to public service.
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