Past Conference Awards

In 1992, the Michigan Family Support Council developed an awards program to recognize outstanding contributions and dedication to the Michigan domestic relations field. A committee selects individuals and/or programs from nominees submitted from our statewide membership in the following categories. View our roster of Honorees in recognition of their exemplary contribution and service to the Michigan Child Support Program.

2009 Awards

• Robert Lee - 2009 Outstanding Achievement Award

  The 2009 Outstanding Achievement Award is being presented to a person who was described in the nominating submission as being, "the most dedicated person we have ever worked with". This high praise was also fully supported by the documentation that came with that comment.

  Our recipient has been in the child support business for more than 12 years and has an inherent love for what they do that is seen in the results that are always obtained. The field work that this individual provides is not only with the intent to apprehend those who have failed to meet their child support obligations, but also in helping these people understand that the child support obligation is a monetary commitment to their children and it is therefore a sacred trust.

  To be able to perform their duties effectively our winner spends countless hours fielding phone calls, searching maps, creating varying techniques to locate people and then finding them and bringing them to justice. These efforts go on day or night until success has been achieved and often includes weekend work in order to finalize a case. Beyond that this individual always makes a concerted effort to keep co-workers informed of the actions that are taken. As a result of these efforts, our recipient has brought in thousands of dollars of child support payments for the needy children of their community and educated hundreds of child support payers of the necessity of supporting their children. Our winner exemplifies the unsung efforts of child support professionals throughout Michigan by the heroic actions that they impart in their work.

  The Board of Directors of the Michigan Family Support Council proudly presents this year's Outstanding Achievement Award to Bay County Warrant Officer, Robert Lee.
  

• Tony Paruk - 2009 Prosecutor/Assistant Prosecutor Award

  The individual we honor as this year's recipient of the Prosecutor/Assistant Prosecutor Award has more than 20 years in the business. During that tenure this person has had a significant impact in the child support community by maintaining a very dedicated presence in many different ways. They have been an active participant in the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan and have led by example in that organization. Our recipient has also been active on the Friend of the Court Citizens Advisory Board and has been a leader as a legislative watchdog for all who labor for children and families throughout the child support community.

  Our winner has achieved recognition as being willing to advocate for causes that they believe in and in so doing has dramatically impacted legislative actions and thereby the impact these decisions have on the children of our State. These efforts have caused our recipient to be described as intelligent, vocal, and a firm believer in maintaining a credo that always has the best interests of children in the forefront. This individual has a personality that is outgoing, determined, and helpful and always seems to bring a sense of caring to those they work with in the endless child support duties that they maintain each day. Pride of accomplishment and dedication to task are descriptive of this year's recipient and allow them to be recognized as a true leader in the child support business.

  The Board of Directors of the Michigan Family Support Council Proudly Award this year's Prosecutor/Assistant Prosecutor Award to Mr. Tony Paruk.

• Belinda Lopez - 2009 Outstanding Prosecuter Staff Award

  The 2009 Prosecutor Staff Award is being presented to a person who exemplifies the dedication that is required at all levels of the Prosecutor’s office, for the agency to accomplish the tasks that are required of them. Locating parents and then following through with the myriad of actions that are required to trigger a case are those little noticed, but essential tasks that fall on this person’s shoulders. This critical role is handled by our winner with a sense of pride, excitement and accomplishment, and one can always tell by the smile on our recipient’s face when they, “got another one”.

  This year’s winner not only exemplifies excellence in locating skills, but is also able to link that effort to the bigger task at hand of securing child support dollars for families that come to their office for service. By using all resources available this individual is able to meet this requirement, and in so doing meet the needs of so many needy children as a result of their work. It is clear that the duties this individual performs have a significant impact on office operations and ultimately the families of their community. Our recipient is ever mindful that every task in the office is critical to the overall operation, and the excellence of their effort adds greatly to that cause.

  It is with pleasure that the Board of Directors of the Michigan Family Support Council award this year’s Prosecutor Staff Award to Belinda Lopez of the Kent County Prosecuting Attorney’s office.
  

• Carolyn Hanson - 2009 Friend of the Court Supervisor Award

  This year's recipient of the Friend of the Court Supervisor Award is a vocal and committed advocate for everyone working in the child support system. Fellow Friends, Prosecutors, and Office of Child Support partners know this individual as a tireless voice in the child support community who always has the best interests of the program as the basis of any expressed concern.

  During a magnificent career of 30 years this person has worked for the Department of Social Services; been an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney; and is now the Director of their County Friend of the Court Office. This broad based experience allows our recipient to be a knowledgeable voice when child support business is being discussed and they are openly willing to let that voice be heard. In so doing countless changes have been implemented in the child support system throughout Michigan and the citizens of our state have benefitted from these improvements.

  Although from the northern regions of our state, our winner has maintained a very active position with the Friend of the Court Association and has made that commitment with extensive travel requirements in order to facilitate that relationship. The leadership that our recipient provides to staff has allowed their county to consistently be ranked in the top 10% of child support collection programs in Michigan. Because of our recipients humble nature; they would give all the credit for this success to staff, when in fact it is that leadership quality that allows their staff to excel in such a fashion.

  The Board of Directors of the Michigan Family Support Council take great pleasure in awarding this year's Friend of the Court Supervisor Award to Marquette County Friend of the Court, Carolyn Hanson.

• Ken Randall - 2009 Friend of the Court Staff Award

  The 2009 Friend of the Court Staff Award is being presented to an individual who has exemplified the hard work and dedication that is required in the child support business but so often goes unnoticed. They have been involved in this business for more than 20 years and have established a very broad based knowledge base by having worked for both the Prosecutor's Office and at the Friend of the Court. During this tenure our recipient has been active with the Michigan Family Support Council for more than 10 years which included two terms as President. They have also served actively with the Central Michigan Family Support Council and held the office of President of that organization for two terms as well. As if this were not enough effort, our winner also was President of the Referee's Association of Michigan for two terms; served on the state child support formula committee and aided in the creation of the current child support formula.

  Beyond these outstanding accomplishments our recipient has willingly provided their expertise by making presentations to many groups throughout Michigan such as the Support Council, Friend of the Court Association, and the Michigan Judicial Institute. Somehow this person has also found time to create and publish the Referee's Quarterly which keeps other Friend of the Court employees informed of the latest in child support activities throughout our State. The hard work, dedication and knowledge that our winner has shown during a stellar career make them an obvious choice for this year's award.

  It is with pleasure that the Board of Directors of the Michigan Family Support Council award this year's Friend of the Court Staff Award to Mr. Ken Randall of the Midland County Friend of the Court.
  

• Pamela McKee - 2009 Outstanding Office of Child Support Manager Award

  

  The person selected for this year's Office of Child Support Manager Award does not have 30 years of experience with that agency. However, what this individual has done while working at OCS has been absolutely stellar and has made a significant difference in the functioning of the operation.

Described as energetic, intelligent and persistent, our recipient has used their considerable talents to effectively work with partners throughout the child support community. If better communication has been required this person has created workgroups to open those lines. If MiCSES problems were identified, our recipient has become an advocate for the fixes that were required. In order to make certain that these changes reached fruition this person creates action plans with deadlines and names of responsible parties, in order to make certain that the problems get resolved.

Despite an overwhelming workload, this year's recipient makes a conscious effort to build coalitions through a combination of data-based evidence, sheer energy and a truly happy personality. In so doing, they always make time to laugh with staff, encourage staff efforts, and to share information and ideas. The efforts of this individual have truly become a commitment for improving the child support program, each and every day.

It is with great pleasure that the Board of Directors of the Michigan Family Support Council award this year's Office of Child Support Manager Award to Pamela McKee.

• Kris Navarre, Greg Nye, Mary Duddles-Smith, Bianca Lawson, Sondra Proctor and Anita Smith (MiCase Customer Service Team) - 2009 Outstanding Office of Child Support Field Staff Award

  

The Office of Child Support Field Staff Award is this year recognizing the talents of more than one individual. This team of dedicated public servants has put a new and profound exclamation point to the term, "customer service". In so doing they have received a very positive and thankful response from the citizens that they serve and have enhanced the image of the Office of Child Support in a dramatically positive way.

Team members maintain a very open and helpful attitude in diagnosing customer concerns and providing education and direction to those they deal with. Their ability to be responsive to huge numbers of Michigan residents in a timely and helpful manner has had a significant impact on families throughout our State. This team is willing to go the extra mile in making the Michigan Child Support Program one that all can be proud of, but more importantly, one that actually is a benefit to the public that uses it.

These resident experts come to their work with a wide range of expertise that has been put to the test in maintaining their responsiveness to their customer base. They respond to an average of 500 E-mails each week in accomplishing their required duties. Their program has highlighted how effective child support programs can be and has become a template for others to follow.

The Board of Directors of the Michigan Family Support Council take great pride in awarding this year's Office of Child Support Field Staff Award to Kris Navarre, Greg Nye, Mary Duddles-Smith, Bianca Lawson, Sondra Proctor and Anita Smith, of the MiCase Customer Service Team.

2008 Awards

• 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award
  
• 2008 Prosecutor/Assistant Prosecutor Award
  
• 2008 Outstanding Prosecuter Staff Award
  
• 2008 Friend of the Court Supervisor Award
  
• 2008 Friend of the Court Staff Award
  
• 2008 Outstanding Office of Child Support Manager Award
  
• 2008 Outstanding Office of Child Support Field Staff Award

2007 Awards

• 2007 Outstanding Achievement Award
  
• 2007 Prosecutor/Assistant Prosecutor Award
  
• 2007 Outstanding Prosecuter Staff Award
  
• 2007 Friend of the Court Supervisor Award
  
• 2007 Friend of the Court Staff Award
  
• 2007 Outstanding Office of Child Support Manager Award
  
• 2007 Outstanding Office of Child Support Field Staff Award

2006 Awards

• LONG DISTANCE COMMUTERS FOR THE OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award
• TERRI BAUER the 2006 Outstanding Prosecuting Attorney's Office Award
• COESSA KENNEY the 2006 Prosecuting Attorney's Office Award
• LUANNE ALLEN the 2006 Friend of the Court's Office Award
• CASE ESTABLISHMENT DEPARTMENT TEAM OF WAYNE COUNTY the 2006 Friend of the Court's Office Award
• SYBIL DINNAN the 2006 Outstanding Office of Child Support Award
• MARCIE PRATHER the 2006 Outstanding Office of Child Support Award
• MAURA CORRIGAN the 2006 Judicial Award
  

2005 Awards

EMMET COUNTY FRIEND OF THE COURT OFFICE - Outstanding Achievement Award

GARY RAPP - Outstanding Prosecutor Award

KIM LEPOUDRE - Prosecutor Staff Award (award accepted on Kim's behalf)

KATHY COX -Friend of the Court Award

SUSAN FOX - Friend of the Court Staff Award (award accepted on Susan's behalf)

CAROL KRAKLAN - Outstanding Office of Child Support Award

BARBARA SURMA - Outstanding Office of Child Support Field Staff Award

View MFSC past awards from 1992 to 2004.

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