Employee Service Awards
December 4, 2007
Board of County
Commissioner’s
Employee Service
Awards
• Today’s honorees are
recognized for outstanding
service and dedication:
Convention
Center
Sales & Events
Christie Ann “Carol” Vahedian - 20 Years
• Christie, who goes by the
name Carol, was born in
Sioux Falls, SD and moved
to Central Florida in the ’60’s.
• Her dad had a small café a
block away from the original
Ron Jon’s Surf Shop.
• Carol graduated from East Central University in
Ada, OK.
• After graduation, she was certified for Medical
Records and Hospital Management.
Carol Vahedian – 20 Years
• Carol was hired in 1987 to work at the Orange County
Convention Center as a Clerical Support Typist. She was
promoted to Secretary and Administrative Assistant.
• In 1997, she became Event Staff/Security Coordinator.
• Carol has completed the Supervisory Development
Program.
• In 1988, she started the first orientation class for casual
labor personnel.
• Carol has been married for 28 years to Mohammad, and
they have two children: Ashley, 24, and Amelia, 20.
• In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, water sports,
movies, reading, and gardening.
• She also enjoys helping the seniors in her subdivision. *
Corrections
In-Custody Security
Yvonne C. Matos - 20 Years
• Yvonne was born in the
Bronx, graduated from
Rockaway High School and
attended Lehman
Community College.
• She was hired by Orange County Corrections in
1987 as a Correctional Officer.
• Yvonne was originally assigned to Orlando Annex.
• She has worked at the Main Facility, Horizon and
Whitcomb.
• In 1991, she was promoted to Corporal and
transferred to the Whitcomb Complex B-Shift.
Yvonne Matos – 20 Years
• In 1994, Yvonne requested re-assignment to the
Orlando Annex Shift A.
• In 1995, she coordinated the development of a female
orientation process, testing and assessment.
• Since 1996, Yvonne took on added responsibilities as
the complex Law Library Officer, Disciplinary Review
Officer and Juvenile Tour Coordinator.
• From 2001 to 2003, Yvonne served on the Department
Security Threat Group, which gathers information on
active gang affiliation/recruitment within Orange
County.
• She collects data on gang members and files reports
with the Threat Group.
• Yvonne was selected for the Department Master
Correctional Officer Program.
Yvonne Matos – 20 Years
• Yvonne has won several awards:
 Teamwork Award for Hispanic Heritage Month.
 Certificate of Appreciation for Orange TV presentations on
“Female Inmate Population.”
 Teamwork Award for United Way Campaign.
• Yvonne is also a certified Fire Safety and Sanitation
Officer and she has trained in “Interview and
Interrogation Techniques.”
• She has two daughters and two grandchildren.
• She enjoys her Vespa Scooter, Kung Fu, Tai Chi and
Chi-gong.
• Her twin sister, Carmen, is also
a Correctional Officer, and her daughter,
Marianne, is a Detention Service Officer.*
Reginald H. Crawford - 20 Years
• Reginald was born and raised
in Orlando. He graduated from
Jones High School and
Bethune Cookman College.
• He was hired by Corrections in
1987 to work at the Main
Facility.
• He has received numerous awards including:
Division & Department Employee of the Month;
Certificate of Appreciation; Teamwork Awards. He
also got his photo in the American Corrections
Association Magazine for an article on “Women in
Corrections.”
Reginald Crawford – 20 Years
• Reginald was promoted to Corporal in 2001
and Sergeant in 2005.
• He has also served as a Training and Probation
Officer.
• He has been married to Evelyn for 13.5 years,
and they have three children: LaRhonda,
Jennifer and Christian; and one grandson,
*
Jordan.
Fire Rescue
Operations
Bobby J. Scott - 20 Years
• Bobby was born in Tuskegee,
Alabama, where his parents were
sharecroppers.
• He moved to Apopka when he was
six years old.
• Bobby attended Phyllis Wheatley
High School and graduated from
Apopka High School. He was one of
the first African-Americans to
graduate with a basketball
scholarship to Lake - Sumter
Community College.
• He worked for one year with the Eatonville Fire Department
before joining Orange County’s Fire Rescue Department in
1987.
Bobby Scott – 20 Years
• Bobby has received several merit and citizen awards during
his career.
• He worked his first 15 years at fire stations in Goldenrod,
Bithlo and Christmas.
• He now works at Stations 28 & 29 in Apopka where he
strives to make a difference in the community.
• Bobby has been married for more than 20 years to Sheron, a
teacher at Princeton Elementary School.
• Their children have grown and moved away, but they are
raising two grandchildren: Ke’Shawn, 13 and Jada, 12.
• Bobby is an avid Magic fan, and enjoys volunteering with the
American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
• He is also an officer and active member of the St. Paul
A.M.E. Church where he serves on the Finance Committee
and Stewardship Board. He is Chairman of the Sons of Allen
men’s ministry.
• His goal is to set a positive example for all local minorities. *
Health & Family
Services
Health Services
Boyd Dean Smith - 30 Years
• Dean was born and raised in
Virginia.
• After a 30 year career at the
District Nine Medical
Examiner’s Office, Dean says
he’ll be retiring soon.
• He spent three years in the
Army with a Hercules antiaircraft missile battery and was
successful in keeping Virginia
Beach from being attached by
enemy aircraft.
Dean Smith – 30 Years
• After the Army, Dean moved to Florida to work as an attendant in a funeral
home.
• He was hired in 1977 as one of three investigators, who worked 24 hours
on and 48 hours off.
• Once, when he applied for credit at a local store, the store called the M E’s
Office to verify his employment. Someone told the store no one named
“Dean” worked there. Dean thought he’d been fired only to find out that his
coworkers knew him as “Boyd,” not Dean.
• Dean has held various positions at the M E’s Office and he is an Associate
Member of the National Association of Medical Examiners and a member
of the Florida Medical Examiner’s Association.
• He has received thanks from many Orange County families who
appreciated his assistance and concern after the death of a loved one.
• Dean has been married to Judy for 41 years and they have a son, Clay.
They are grandparents of two kids: Haley, and Kody and there’s one more
on the way.
• Upon retirement, Dean plans to play golf and enjoy more time with his
grandchildren. *
Public Works
Traffic Engineering
Francis L. Lewis - 20 Years
• Frank was born in
Worcester, MA and
moved to Central Florida
in 1968.
• He served in the Marines
for four years.
• Frank was hired by Public
Works Engineering in
1987 as a sign installer.
• After just 3 months on the job, Frank was promoted
to Foreman and transferred to the Thermo Crew,
where he has worked for 20 years.
Frank Lewis – 20 Years
• Frank has achieved certification in liquefied gas,
traffic safety and the Rollins College Leadership
Program.
• He has received the Employee of the Month Award
12 times and won Employee of the Year in 1989.
• Frank has worked on several projects including:
Convention Center speed zone markings and
projects with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
• He has been married to Elizabeth for 10 years.
• He has three children: Cheryl, Robert and Edward.
• In his free time, Frank enjoys fishing and restoring
cars. *
Joseph Jackson - 20 Years
• Joe was born in Midway,
AL and graduated from
Union Springs High
School.
• He was hired in 1987 to
work for the Traffic
Engineering Department
as a Maintenance Person
I in the Sign Shop.
• He has been promoted to Level 1 and 2 as a Paint
Crew Member and was the Crew Leader for the
Paint Crew. He is currently on the Thermo Plastic
Crew.
Joe Jackson – 20 Years
• Joe was part of the crew that changed all the street
signs in Eatonville.
• He has two children: Chanelle, 29; and Courtney,
19.
• In his spare time, Joe enjoys…
*
Public Works
Roads & Drainage
Michael S. Watts - 20 Years
• Mike was born in Norristown, PA
and graduated from North Penn
High School.
• He served for four years in the
Air Force in Panama, Central
and South America.
• He was hired in 1987 to work
with the MSTU Section of Public
Works.
• He has completed the Rollins College Supervisory
Training Program and many Federal Emergency
Management Agency emergency response courses.
Mike Watts – 20 Years
• Mike has held many positions including: Maintenance
Person, Equipment Operator, Drainage Foreman for the
Drainwell and Pump Station. He is now the MSTU Senior
Foreman with a team of 30.
• Mike is a youth football and track coach in Winter Park.
• He has also served as the Central Coordinator for the AAU
Track and Field Event.
• Mike has been married to Maxine for 16 years and he has
two children: Alan and Willie.
• Mike loves to travel with his wife, fish, and attend sporting
events, especially when his son was playing football at Ole
Miss and Illinois State.
• He has been a United Way Coordinator and key player in
the GOV fundraisers for the MSTU Section.
• Mike takes pride in always doing whatever it takes to help
others. *
Public Works
Department Office
Ralyne E. Westenhofer - 35 Years
• Ralyne was born in Maryland
and raised in Michigan.
• She graduated from Detroit
College of Business and
attended Wayne State and
Michigan State Universities,
where she studied music.
• Ralyne was hired in 1972 as a Secretary II in the Engineering
Department.
• In 1974, she was promoted to Secretary III and reclassified to
Administrative Secretary.
• In 1991, she was reclassified to Executive Assistant.
• Ralyne’s entire career has been in Public Works and she has
worked for five directors: Tom Hastings, George Cole, Ajit
Lalchandani, Bill Baxter and Mark Massaro.
Ralyne Westenhofer – 35 Years
• Ralyne joined the Central Florida Genealogical and Historical
Society in 1977 and she has served as an officer for 22 years,
including two as President.
• She has been a member of Florida Women in Government for
30 years and was honored with the President’s Member of the
Year Award in 2003.
• She is the first person from Orange County Government to
serve as President. She is currently their Immediate PastPresident, Historian and Newsletter Editor.
• Ralyne has played for several seasons with the Volusia
Community Band and the Orange County Community Band.
• She joined a social club to learn ballroom dancing and has won
a number of trophies.
• She was instrumental in tutoring Public Works personnel to
earn their GED.
• Ralyne has baked as many as 25 dozen cookies during the
holidays for bake sales.
Ralyne Westenhofer – 35 Years
• Ralyne has been the point person at Public Works for all
Great Oaks Village fund raisers.
• She completed the Rollins College Leadership Program in
2001 and a special writing course for Engineers through the
American Society of Civil Engineers.
• Her love of genealogy has taken her across the United States
and Canada researching in libraries, attending conferences,
and stomping through cemeteries.
• In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, reading, writing, poetry,
and baking.
• Her brother Lee and sister-in-law Sharon are here today to
congratulate Ralyne for her 35 years of service with Orange
County Government. *
Utilities
Water Reclamation
Mark A. Robinson - 20 Years
• Mark was born and raised in
Orlando.
• He graduated from Edgewater
High School and Valencia
Community College.
• In 1987, he joined Orange County’s Wastewater
Division as a Maintenance Person II.
• He has been promoted to Operator Trainee, Operator
IC/IB/IA and Plant Specialist I, II & III.
• Mark is a member of the “Orange Crush” Operation’s
Challenge Team that recently competed in the
National Operations Challenge.
Mark Robinson – 20 Years
• Mark has worked his entire 20 years in Water
Reclamation.
• He has been married to Kimberle for 19 years and
they have six children: Mark Jr., 21, who attends
East Carolina University, is a senior on a football
scholarship; Trinity, 18, who attends Prairie View
A&M, is a freshman on a basketball scholarship;
Loren, 17, and Andre, 15, attend Lyman High
School; and Morgan, 13, and Xavier, 12, attend
Markham Woods Middle School.
• Mark enjoys fishing, basketball and attending his
children’s football and basketball games. *
Utilities
Engineering
Christina R. Beatham - 25 Years
• Chris was born in Stuttgart,
Germany and moved to
Central Florida in 1980.
• She graduated from the
Village of Armada, MI.
• She was hired in 1982 as the
first female engineer for
Utilities.
• She has been promoted several times: Engineer II,
Project Coordinator, Assistant to the Director, Acting
Construction Division Manager and she is currently
the Assistant Project Manager.
Chris Beatham – 25 Years
• Chris served a member of the team that developed the
County’s Wellness Program. She was the Utilities Department
Representative for the Chairman Chapin Targeted
Community Initiatives in Bithlo, Winter Garden, South Apopka,
and Taft areas.
• Chris created the Utilities Sewer Assessment Program.
• She was one of the original members of the County’s
Contingency Group that trained in Mt. Weather.
• Chris was instrumental in guiding the creation of ESF-20
during emergency activations.
• She implemented the County’s Lakes and Wetlands
Monitoring Program to support water consumption.
• She has been with Alan, her life partner, for 30 years.
• Her outside interests include: Gardening, cooking,
photography, reading, traveling (especially to National Parks),
and enjoying her Shetland sheepdog and cat. *
Awards Presentation
Convention Center
Sales and Events:
• Carol Vahedian
20 Years
Corrections
In-Custody Security:
• Yvonne Matos
• Reginald H. Crawford
20 Years
20 Years
Awards Presentation
Fire Rescue
Operations:
• Bobby J. Scott
20 Years
Health and Family Services
Health Services:
• Boyd Dean Smith
30 Years
Awards Presentation
Public Works
Traffic Engineering:
• Frank Lewis
• Joe Jackson
20 Years
20 Years
Roads and Drainage:
• Mike Watts
20 Years
Awards Presentation
Public Works
Department Office:
• Ralyne Westenhofer
35 Years
Utilities
Water Reclamation:
• Mark Robinson
20 Years
Awards Presentation
Utilities
Engineering:
• Christina Beatham
25 Years
Employee Service Awards
December 4, 2007