Governor Hogan Honors Department of Natural Resources Employee

Maryland Forester Brian Stupak Cited for Commitment to Citizens and Customer Service

Maryland Department of Natural Resources employee Brian Stupak was honored by the Hogan Administration today with the Customer Service Heroes Award for July. Stupak, a project manager with the Maryland Forest Service, was presented a citation by Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford before the July 26 Board of Public Works meeting.

Stupak was nominated by the Department of Natural Resources and selected by Governor Larry Hogan.

“I am pleased to present Brian Stupak with the Customer Service Heroes Award and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition,” Governor Hogan said. “Our administration, along with the natural resources community, is grateful for his commitment to customer service in helping to manage Maryland’s forest programs.” 

Stupak supervises a three county project area and is the primary forester for Calvert and Prince George’s counties. He provides and implements forest programs in these counties, including assisting landowners with forest management, coordinating tree planting activities, managing state forest lands and other duties and responsibilities.

“In a 19-year career with the department Brian has gone above and beyond to solve problems for our customers in a friendly, timely, and truthful manner,” Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “I congratulate him and thank him for his commitment to the residents of Maryland. He is a great example of a dedicated and professional state employee and testament to the great work of the Maryland Forest Service.”

One example of Stupak’s commitment to customer service was his work with the Town of University Park in 2016 and 2017. After a timber harvest was completed in a neighboring area, University Park officials complained about damage to a nearby stream, which feeds into the Anacostia River. Although his part of the work was technically finished, Stupak committed himself to investigating the cause of the issue and worked closely with Mayor Len Carey and Prince George’s County to determine that the damage was most likely caused by runoff from a nearby school, not the harvest. Through Stupak’s persistence and tireless commitment to customer service and willingness to collaborate with inter-agency partners, the issue was dealt with in an accurate and timely manner.

“It’s an honor to have been selected for this statewide recognition,” Stupak said. “Customer service is a vital part of my job, and I strive to provide the best service to the citizens of Maryland each and every day.”

The Customer Service Heroes Award was created by Governor Larry Hogan in 2016 to recognize individuals who have demonstrated and exceeded the expectations set within the Customer Service Promise.