Department Recognizes Employees of the 2020 Third Quarter

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) recognized two employees for their hard work and dedication over the third quarter of 2020. Rowland Agbede received an Outstanding Performance Award and Mary Darling received the Leadership Award during a department-wide staff meeting held virtually Wednesday afternoon.

“Our department’s biggest asset is the amazing, dedicated public servants that work here,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “It is my pleasure to recognize Rowland and Mary for their exceptional work over the past quarter. During an unprecedented time, these two employees remained steadfast in their commitment to providing excellent service to Maryland’s agriculture industry.”

Outstanding Performance Award: Rowland Agbede – Resource Conservation, DP Programmer Analyst/GIS Coordinator

Rowland Agbede was nominated by his supervisor for the Employee of the Quarter Outstanding Performance Award in recognition of his remarkable leadership and incredible work productivity over the past quarter. Without hesitation, Rowland teamed with MDA’s Marketing Department to develop, create, and maintain an online map resource that connects Marylanders to farm operations that sell directly to consumers. This project was especially crucial as many Marylanders were looking for alternatives to in-store grocery shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The map was published in record time and helped lead to an 82% increase in traffic on the Maryland’s Best website. Rowland’s diligence, attention to detail, and willingness to be a team player made this project a major success for MDA and our state’s agriculture industry.

Leadership Award: Mary Darling – Human Resources, HR Administrator I

Mary Darling was nominated for the Employee of the Quarter Leadership Award by a coworker in MDA’s Mosquito Control Program. Mary was honored for her staunch commitment, reliability, and willingness to always help a colleague. Being with the department for over 20 years and working with every employee that comes in the door, Mary has built a strong reputation for her wisdom, kindness, and strong work ethic. Her extremely in-depth knowledge of MDA’s policies and procedures has been an invaluable asset to the department and all that work there. Mary’s years of public service has improved the capabilities of the entire department and ensured MDA stays running smoothly with a highly-talented staff.

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