Resident Unit Manager James King and Acting Assistant Deputy Warden Nicholas White at the Central Michigan Correctional Facility were selected as the 2023 Michigan Department of Corrections Director's Award winners for their efforts in assisting the facility with recruitment. The two planned and executed recruiting events in the community and hosted more than 200 interviews.
The Director's Award is the highest honor awarded to employees of the MDOC. RUM King and A/ Assistant Deputy Warden White also received the Department's Professional Excellence Award for recognizing burnout among their colleagues due to working several hours of overtime each week and taking action to help relieve them. The two worked as a team, partnering with local agencies to bring awareness of careers at their facility and with the Department. They developed marketing material and organized volunteers for the events. They arranged for applicants to experience the whole interview process at their recruiting events, even making sure each applicant had access to computers to submit their applications on the spot.
RUM King and A/ADW White’s innovative ideas and willingness to step up and help their colleagues in a time of need is an excellent example of teamwork. The pair's work has allowed their facility to drop its vacancy rate to only 5%, which has boosted morale in the facility.
RUM King has worked for the Department for nearly 20 years, and A/Assistant Deputy Warden White has worked for the Department for 23 years.
The Director's Award is traditionally awarded to a single person who displays excellent work ethic, leadership, and professionalism. This year is the first time the Director's Award has been awarded to two individuals.
Keith Clegg, Sergeant at the Kinross Correctional Facility was selected as the winner of the 2021 Michigan Department of Corrections Director's Award for his efforts in assisting the facility by creating emergency processes and assisting staff with his excellent leadership skills.
The Director's Award is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon employees of the MDOC. Sgt. Clegg also received the department's Professional Excellence Award for his work supervising all food service operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. When food service leadership and staff were unable to work due to COVID-19, Sgt. Clegg used his experience as a restaurant owner to train reassigned staff to prepare and serve meals and acquired the necessary supplies to ensure food service at Kinross Correctional Facility stayed a smooth operation throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.
Sgt. Clegg has worked for the department since 1999, where he began in Food Service. He transitioned to a Corrections Officer in 2013 and was promoted to Sergeant in 2017.
Sgt. Clegg is a team player, often going out of his way to enhance the work environment at the facility. He often donates food from his own restaurants, Pure Country located in Rudyard and Sault Ste. Marie, for work events and is known to be a mentor to many staff at the facility.
Jennifer Metro, prison counselor at the Kinross Correctional Facility, received the 2019 Director’s Award for her efforts at recruiting new staff, and her volunteer work with the Law Enforcement Torch Run and the Special Olympics.
The Director’s Award is the highest honor that can be presented to employees of the MDOC. Metro also received the department’s Professional Excellence Award for her work and volunteer activity.
Metro has worked for the department since 1997, where she began as a corrections officer at the Newberry Correctional Facility. During her time, she has worked at several facilities in the Upper Peninsula and she has been promoted over the years. She often takes on extra responsibilities at work, including being part of the statewide audit team and the MDOC’s recruitment team.
In her recruitment efforts, she spends a large amount of her time at community events, communicating with the public about the many job opportunities available within the department. At the facility, she mentors new staff, and is a positive role model for all employees.
Matthew Clausen, an Institutional Training Officer at Ojibway Correctional Facility, received the 2018 Director’s Award for his involvement in developing improved training for corrections staff statewide.
The Director’s Award is the highest honor that can be presented to employees of the MDOC. Clausen also received the department’s Professional Excellence Award for his efforts.
Clausen said he loves his work and considers his colleagues an inspiration.
Clausen, who also has served as an Emergency Response Team commander, has worked for the department for almost 18 years and started his career as a corrections officer.
He has helped produce a number of training videos for the department and oversees training for staff at his facility. He also assisted in the installation and development of a new camera system at Ojibway Correctional Facility, developed a system that helps keeps staff informed during facility mobilizations and speaks at Gogebic Community College on careers in corrections.
