Umatilla County was recently awarded an achievement award from the National Association of Counties for its professional development program.
Umatilla County Commissioner Bill Elfering, Commissioner John Shafer, and Program Consultant Susan Bower of Eastern Oregon Business Source represented Umatilla County at an awards luncheon at the National Association of Counties annual conference in Las Vegas.
The Umatilla County Professional Development Program and the Professional Development Center began in the spring of 2014. The program has grown to include an extensive curriculum available to all Umatilla County employees, a leadership development programing known as the Umatilla County Leadership Academy, a robust onboarding experience built to support new hires’ understanding and expectations of the Umatilla County organizational culture, succession planning, employee engagement and team building efforts, as well as a dedicated area to encourage employees to focus and reflect on their personal professional growth.
“A strong program of professional development is the foundation upon which an exceptional organization is built. Helping staff members build their skills is not only an important contribution to their current job, but also helps prepare them to take on additional responsibilities as our organization moves forward,” Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock said.
Started in 1970, NACo’s annual Achievement Award Program is designed to recognize innovative county government programs. Nationally, awards are given in 18 different categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and others.
