By LEONARD GRAY

Managing Editor

RESERVE — The Port of South Louisiana recently presented their annual employee awards and recognition.

An awards dinner was held at the Port’s Guest House, next to the Globalplex facility in Reserve.

The following awards were presented:

Job Performance Awards

For overall performance evaluation ratings of &#8220Exceeds Requirements” the employees are: Alvin Morris, Michael Anderson, Donald Brown, Nyler Williams, Guadalupe Torres, Michael Vicknair, Lenora Davis, James Lumar, Ronald Johnson, Janeen Benn, Daniel Taillon, Aubrey Gravois, Gary Hickman, Churtis Bickford, Patrick Dufresne, Mitch Smith

Firmin Mitchell, Dennis Millet, Lori Warner and Kevin Poche.

For overall performance evaluation ratings of &#8220Outstanding” the employees are: Catherine Becnel., Catherine Davis, Kim Landry, Alexandra Hernandez, Grant Faucheux, Maria Stein, Vickie Lewis-Clark, Sylvia Hickman, Sandra Plattsmier, Monica Pierre, Joanne Weber, Cleveland Johnson, Cindy Martin, Lisa Braud, Patti Crockett, Pamela Linton and Celeste DeSlatte.

Service Awards

Five years of Service

Ernest J. Bailey, Vickie Lewis-Clark, Henry Sullivan, Jr., Ronald C. Johnson, Firmin Mitchell, Michael Anderson and Aubrey Gravois.

Five years of Service- Commissioners

Lawrence Jackson, P. Joey Murray III, Gregory Gravois and Bill Hubbard.

10 years of Service

Cleo Wainwright, Janeen Benn and Donald E. Brown.

15 years of Service

Oscar Mitch Smith.

25 years of Service

Gary C. Hickman.

Training Certifications

Recognition of Successful Completion of the Department of State Civil Service’s Mandatory Training Program for Supervisors. Recipients included:

Lisa W. Braud – Executive Management Officer, Donald E. Brown – Firetug Captain, Aubrey J. Gravois – Port Maintenance Foreman, Gary C. Hickman – Port Operations Assistant Director, Kevin M. Poche – Firetug Captain, Maria M. Stein – Administrative Manager, Daniel Taillon – Marine Maintenance Superintendent, Grant J. Faucheux – Finance Director, Cindy L. Martin – Port Administrative Director and Mitch Smith – Port Operations Director.

Attainment of Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing

Nyler Williams – Executive Secretary.

Safety Award

Ronald Johnson – Port Safety Coordinator.

Team Work Award

Finance Division – In recognition of outstanding performance resulting in an exceptional audit review for fiscal year 2004-2005. These included: Grant Faucheux – Finance Director, E. J. Bailey, Jr. – Accountant Supervisor, Lenora Davis, Guadalupe Torres, Lori Warner and Cleo Wainwright.

Business Development Division – Instrumental in the location of NATCO to the River Parishes. These included: Linda Prudhomme – Business Development Director, Lisa Braud, Patrick Dufresne and Alexandra Hernandez.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Work

All employees were commended for Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Preparations, Response, and Recovery work.

Emergency Response & Rescue Division – Employees Paul Neal and Daniel Taillon lost all material possessions and/or received major property damage due to Hurricane Katrina and never let their own loss interfere with their duty to others. Recipients included: Oscar M. Smith, Gary Hickman, Brent Kliebert, Donald E. Brown, Kevin Poche, Paul Neal, Daniel Taillon, Firmin Mitchell, Alvin Morris, Michael Jacobs, Anthony T. Jacob, Curtis Bickford, Cornell Adams , Travis Custard, Shawn Hidalgo, Eddie Crouch and Monica Pierre.

Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Recovery Work –

Security Division

Recipients included: Sylvia Hickman, Catherine Becnel, Nicole Jones, Claudius Dowdle, James Lumar, Daigle Desselle, Dennis Millet and Michael Vicknair.

Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Recovery Work –

Finance Building

Recipients included: Grant Faucheux, E. J. Bailey, Kim Landry, Celeste DeSlatte, Lenora Davis, Lori Warner, Guadalupe Torres and Cleo Wainwright.

Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Recovery Work – Maintenance & Administrative Divisions

Recipients included: Cindy Martin, Aubrey Gravois, Pamela Linton, Nyler Williams, Michael Anderson, Cleveland Johnson, Leon Robinson and Ronald Johnson .

Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Recovery Work – Belle Terre Office

Recipients included: Joel T. Chaisson, Henry Sullivan Jr., Linda Prudhomme, Catherine Davis, Patti Crockett, Joseph Benn, Al Poche, Janeen Benn, JoAnn Weber, Alexandra Hernandez, Sandra Plattsmier, Lisa Braud, Vickie Lewis-Clark and Keya Parquett.

Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Recovery Work – For being where ever, whenever they were needed.

Recipients included: Lester Millet III and Patrick Dufresne.

&#8220PSV Accardo”

Dedication Ceremony

Recipients included: Mitch Smith, Henry Sullivan, Lisa Braud, Maria Stein, Alexandra Hernandez, Patrick Dufresne, Daniel Taillon, Gary Hickman, Monica Pierre, Patti Crockett and Sandra Plattsmier.

Dedication of the Transit Warehouse

Recipients included: Henry Sullivan , Lisa Braud, Maria Stein, Alexandra Hernandez, Patrick Dufresne, Patti Crockett and Sandra Plattsmier.

LA State Legislators’ Tour

Recipients included: Maria Stein, Patrick Dufresne, Henry Sullivan, Cindy Martin, Linda Prudhomme, Grant Faucheux, Lisa Braud and Alexandra Hernandez.

Historical Committee (Dedicated to maintaining the historical aspects of the Guest House and Cottage)

Recipients included: Patrick Dufresne, Janeen Benn and Nyler Williams.

Charitable Service Award

Recipients included: Monica Pierre – Tsunami Relief Efforts, Nyler Williams – Wilson-Senette Family Crisis & Victims of Katrina Shelter work, Catherine Davis – Victims of Katrina Shelter work, Aubrey Gravois – Wilson-Senette Family Crisis.

Awesome Work Attitude

Recipients were: Joanne Weber and Alexandra Hernandez.

Awards of Appreciation

Hurricane/Severe Weather Information Pamphlet

Recipient was Alexandra Hernandez.

Port Presentations

Recipient was: Alexandra Hernandez.

Outstanding performance coordinating the activities of the IT Division

Recipient was Pamela J. Linton.

Timely response to the engineering needs of the Emergency Response Vessels

Recipient was Firmin Mitchell.

Red Cross Warehouse Preparations

Recipients were: Lester Millet III, Patrick Dufresne, Henry Sullivan, Aubrey Gravois, Ronald Johnson, Leon Robinson, Cleveland Johnson and Michael Anderson.

Belle Terre Office Building Improvements

Recipients included: Cleveland Johnson, Michael Anderson and Leon Robinson.

Industry Appreciation Events

Recipient was Lisa W. Braud.

Emergency Response to Wharf Fire at

Port of New Orleans

Recipients included: Donald E. Brown, Brent Kliebert , Firmin Mitchell, Anthony Todd Jacobs, Cornell Adams and Alvin Morris.

Outstanding Performance – Hurricane Katrina- Emergency Response Communications

Recipient was Cornell Adams.

Outstanding Performance – Security watch during Hurricane Katrina

Recipient was Nicole Jones.

Outstanding Support during Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Recovery Port Commissioners

Recipients included: Sheila Bonnette, Louis A. Joseph, Jay Roberts, P. Joey Murray III, Lawrence Jackson, Gregory Gravois and Bill Hubbard.

Awards of Excellence

The first recipient was Oscar Mitch Smith, who was instrumental in obtaining Port Security Grants, New Patrol Security Vessel and Signed Memorandum of Understanding between all Emergency Response/Security entities between Baton Rouge and the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The second recipient was Executive Director Joel T. Chaisson. Since his appointment in April, Chaisson has directed tariff changes, which have resulted in additional income to the Port.

Chaisson also obtained board approval on a new Administration Building in order to bring all Port staff together in one building.

Chaisson has been instrumental in securing two new security stations, one in service and another under construction.

Under his direction, the Port purchased the Constar building which is now occupied by Red Cross.

Additionally, NATCO has been secured as a long-term tenant for building 10, and also, building 2 has been converted from a &#8220free” transit shed to a long-erm commercial lease.