THE LOOP - Merry Christmas - Rowan County ...
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THE LOOP
From the County Manager’s O ce
ISSUE 74 DECEMBER 2020
In This Issue
2
Birthdays
3
Employee Spotlight
Flu Competition
4
TechTalk
5
Rowan Originals
6
Rowan Originals
Rowan County Originals Talent Show
7
Voices From the Past
Merry Christmas
ffi
December Birthdays
1 Addison Bevis 13 Warren Cook Laura Vorst
Carol Cody Jessica Womble
14 Beverly Brewer
2 Joseph Harrison Judith Klusman 24 April Dollarhide
David Ramsey Tyler Mahaley
Madison Osborne 25 Melissa Adams
3 Grayson Owens Jonathan Snipes Je rey Hill
Steven Stoner
Michael Stringer 15 Taylor Carter 26 Karla Aldridge
Patricia Curtis Teresa Mowery
4 Jermaine Hamilton Rebecca Palmer Alyssa Smith
Rosalind Mitchell
Mildred Robertson 16 Crystal Blevins 27 James Hewitt
Gary Walker Michael Vespi
5 Helen Bailey Alan Whitley Brooke Wilson
Crystal Carter Shanelle Wilkey
Amber Haas 28 Deborah Lentz
Michael Lanning 17 Mitzi Goodman Megan Livengood
Julie Heilig Lucinda Wilhelm
6 Sandra Cannon Brian Helms
Je rey Coburn Jessica Herion 29 Jason Naves
Penny Kardys Harry Miller Shelly Peeler
Sally Semrad Beverly Mobley David Scott
Laura Mode
7 Carisa Cauthen 30 Mark Loflin
Vincent Price 18 Karen Bost
Amy Smith Graciela Nunez 31 James Lambert
Vanessa Steelman John Whitesides Stacy Lindsey
Chance Williams Nicole Marsh
19 Ruth Huynh Felicia Martin
8 Crystal Linker Pamela Nance Brantly Watson
Karen Pennartz James Pendergrass
John Si ord Leslie Robinson
Phillip York
9 Matthew Shoemaker
20 Joni Hobbs
10 Leigh Fletcher Tony Parker
James Greene
Anthony Palacios 21 Linda Black
BIRTHDAY CREDIT
Jody Morris
Be sure to claim the $25
11 Eliora Belcher Joe Padgett
Anita Duggins William Theil birthday credit before
Brenda Mccubbins Willie Thompson
Jenna Robinson December 31.
Roger Wallace 22 Amber Wellmon LEARN MORE
12 Michael Brady 23 Mia Graham
Samantha Cauble Peter Molleur
Steven Schenk Colbie Perry
Erica Poole
THE LOOP | ISSUE 74 | DECEMBER 1, 2020 2
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Employee Spotlight
NAME Lonnie Ellis
TIME OF SERVICE 2.75 years with Rowan County
14 years in Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
DEPARTMENT Emergency Services - EMS Division
TITLE Paramedic/Preceptor
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES / Golfing, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and spending time with my
HOBBIES / THINGS fiancé.
FAVORITE FOOD Steak, pizza, and venison.
FAVORITE MOVIE/TV SHOW Step Brothers and Talladega Nights.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT I have been in EMS for almost 14 years. I transplanted from New
YOURSELF Smyrna Beach, Florida, about 5 years ago. I love the career I have
chosen. I love my job with Rowan County EMS. I love making a
di erence in my community and would not want to do anything else. I
am also a tactical Paramedic for our city and county SWAT teams.
I am an avid golfer and hunter. I enjoy anything outdoors. My favorite
thing to do is spend time with my fiancé (she golfs and hunts with me)
and dogs. I am very outgoing and will try anything once. I look
forward to many more years at Rowan County.
FLU COMPETITION Protect Your “CREW”
Now through December 31
For those employees who wish to participate in this
friendly competition, please enter your name,
department, and month that you received your
vaccination on the online Rowan County Flu
Vaccination Form. All employees that submit this
information will be entered into a drawing and have a
chance of winning one of 50 gi cards. Get vaccinated Against the FLU
THE LOOP | ISSUE 74 | DECEMBER 1, 2020 3
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TECHTALK
Tips and tricks worth sharing
DUO COMING SOON
Diane Byrne, IT Business Analyst
DUO – Multi-Factor Authentication Tools are As a secure, cloud-based solution, Duo MFA
Coming Soon! requires no on-premises hardware to be deployed.
Our most popular authentication method, Duo
Your partners at the Rowan County IT Department Push, is sent via Duo Mobile, our smartphone
continue to lead the charge of implementing application. This requires minimal administrative
security for all end-user devices used in support of e ort when enrolling new users. Regardless if you
Rowan County citizens. We will be working with use or do not use the mobile smartphone
all of the department liaisons to implement multi- application, everyone will receive a DUO Card that
factor authentication (MFA) tools in all provides a unique token number to validate your
departments over the next several months. log in. This DUO Card is slightly smaller than a
normal credit card.
WHAT IS MULTI-FACTOR
Here are the multiple methods you can pick from
AUTHENTICATION? to login:
1. DUO app (Duo Mobile)
As an example of multi-factor authentication,
2. Cell phone (text or phone call)
imagine you are at an ATM so that you can
3. Desk phone (home phone if teleworking)
withdraw money from your bank account. Your
4. DUO Card (enter the token number)
debit card is one authentication factor. However,
to access your account, you also need to enter the We have already completed
PIN that is associated with your debit card, a this deployment in both
second authentication factor. the Finance and DSS
departments with more
The goal of MFA is to create a layered defense and
on the way.
make it more di icult for an unauthorized person
to access a target such as a physical location, The IT Department will
computing device, network, or database. work directly with each
department director
MFA is used to ensure that digital users are who
and liaison to plan,
they say they are by requiring that they provide at
schedule and
least two pieces of evidence to prove their
implement this new
identity. Each piece of evidence must come from a
security feature.
di erent category: something they know,
something they have, or something they are.
DUO MULTI-FACTOR TOOLS
Rowan County has chosen Duo as our MFA
provider. Duo provides an easy-to-use, secure
mobile authentication method for quick, push
notification-based approval to verify a user’s
identity.
THE LOOP | ISSUE 74 | DECEMBER 1, 2020 4
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R WAN ORIGINALS
“Rowan Originals” is a new column dedicated to celebrating employee news, whether it’s a
professional accomplishment, marriage or birth, act of service, or retirement. If you would
like to be recognized or nominate someone as a Rowan Original, please send information to
loop@rowancountync.gov.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT NEWS
LISA BEVIS was promoted to Assistant Finance Director on November 15, 2020. Bevis has more than 25
years of experience, 7 ½ of which has been with Rowan County in the Finance Department. “Lisa brings
two and a half decades of professional experience to her new role. She is a major asset to our department,
and I look forward to seeing her excel as Assistant Finance Director,” said Finance Director Jim Howden.
DELORES SCHENK, Account Technician II, just celebrated 15 years with Rowan County Finance.
Congratulations and much appreciation to both employees on their contributions to Rowan County!
JON HUNTER retired from Rowan County Department of Social Services on
November 20, 2020, a er serving Rowan County since 1999. Besides his
ebullient spirit, Hunter may be best known for bringing the nationally
recognized One Church One Child program to Rowan County. Hunter is an
ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, and he applied his unique
knowledge and skill to social work for the good of our community.
Rowan One Church One Child (ROCOC) is a mission/outreach program between
Rowan County Department of Social Services (DSS) and local churches that serves
children and families who are involved with Child Protective Services and need life-
essential items, especially cribs or toddler beds for young children. Hunter was a grant writing machine
and brought in tremendous resources to serve our citizens. In 2019, more than 600 children received life-
essential items with financial donations and grant funds through ROCOC. Hunter leaves the program 70+
churches strong in this public-private powerhouse partnership.
“We appreciate all of the love and care Jon put into his work. He has been a positive influence in the lives
of many, including his coworkers, volunteers, and local congregations and civic groups. Although we will
miss Jon’s laughter in the hallways, we are happy for him to be able to retire,” said Interim DSS Director
Micah Ennis. “Jon, enjoy your much-deserved reprieve,” she continued.
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R WAN ORIGINALS
JOSH STUTTS has been promoted to Program Manager in Rowan County
Department of Social Services’ Social Work Services Division. Stutts provides
management support to services in adoption, adult programs, and a variety of
support services, as well as providing quality assurance case reviews for the
division. Stutts has experience in Child Protective Services Assessments and
Permanency Planning as a social worker, and he has served for six years as
Permanency Planning Supervisor. He actively served as an able and spirited chair
of the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC). Stutts has demonstrated his
ability to advocate for resources to support families we serve and helped shape
Partnering for Excellence (PFE) in Rowan, which is a trauma-informed response to children and youth in
the care of DSS or at risk for entering care. We look forward to working with Josh in his new role. Please
join us in congratulating him!
Rowan County Originals
TALENT SHOW
JOIN US
Tune in from 12-1:30 PM on December 15 to view top performers compete during the first ever Rowan
County Originals Talent Show. Winners for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be determined by employees
viewing via Zoom.
https://bit.ly/RoCoTalentLive
Webinar ID: 968 2527 1647
Password: 121520
PERFORMANCES
Acts included storytelling, singing, playing guitar, playing piano, lip
syncing, video production/acting, and even unicycling.
PRIZES
Visit intranet.rowancountync.gov/talent to view photos 1st Place $750
from all the performances and be sure to tune in live on 2nd Place $500
December 15 to view the top 6 performers compete for 3rd Place $200
your vote!
THE LOOP | ISSUE 74 | DECEMBER 1, 2020 6
VOICES FROM THE PAST
Earlene Rivers began her career with Rowan County Department of Social
Services (DSS) in 1979 and devoted the next 27+ years of her life to serving the
citizens of Rowan County in the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) division.
She retired as Child Support Enforcement Supervisor on July 1, 2007. “I never
imagined that I would serve in the capacity of supervisor at DSS, and was quite
honored to be selected for this position,” Rivers said.
When asked what she misses most about her time at Rowan County, Rivers
said she misses her dedicated and professional colleagues in CSE. “We were a
family, even if we did not always agree.” She continued, “Mrs. Sandra Wilkes,
the DSS Director at the time, was very supportive of me in my position of CSE Supervisor. Without her
guidance and support, the job would have been so much more di icult. She was a wonderful leader and
support system, and I am forever thankful for her.”
Before the pandemic, Rivers filled her calendar with many activities including working out at the YMCA,
serving as caregiver to family members needing assistance, spending time with family, quilting with her
church quilters group, attending meetings of her church Senior Citizens group, camping, socializing with
friends, and traveling. Rivers loves to travel and take every opportunity to explore new and exciting
places.
Rivers enjoys camping with friends at Myrtle Beach Travel Park during the month of May, an annual event
that was cancelled this year due to COVID-19. “These friends are from SC, GA, TN, WV, VA and Canada. May
is normally the only time we see these special friends all year, so it’s a great month,” she said.
The only “new” hobby she has picked
up during retirement is quilting, which
is really just tacking quilts with friends
at church. “Anyone who knows me will
tell you I am definitely not a person
who does well with any type of cra
activity,” she admitted. In the future,
Rivers hopes to spend more time
with family and friends, traveling and
exploring more of our beautiful
world.
Rivers advises anyone nearing
retirement to enjoy time on the job
as much as possible and to make
sure you are “mentally, physically,
and financially ready for
retirement so that you can fully
enjoy the life of leisure you plan.”
Do you have a “voice from the past” you’d like to nominate? Send to loop@rowancountync.gov.
THE LOOP | ISSUE 74 | DECEMBER 1, 2020 7
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