Maryland Department of Agriculture Honors Employees with Long Service Awards

ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 20, 2023) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture recently honored 69 employees for their years of dedicated service to the state and its citizens. The service awards were given out during the Annual Employee Appreciation brunch held on November 13. Of the 69 employees honored, 3 have 30 or more years of service and one has 40 years. Together, the employees represent 610 years of public service and approximately 1.3 million hours worked.

“Our employees are the backbone of our agency.  Recognizing the dedicated work of these individuals through their many years of service is an honor,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “The vital work of these employees contributes to the continued successes of this department.  I thank each and every one of our employees for their contributions to Maryland agriculture.”

Team members attending the brunch enjoyed a menu consisting of locally sourced Maryland products, prepared and served by members of senior staff. 

You may view photos from the event and awards ceremony here. 

The following is a listing of department employees by their county of residence who were recognized with service awards:

• Thomas Fagan- 40 years
• David Mister- 35 years
• Charlotta (Susan) Winebrenner- 35 years
• Dexter “Craig” Crotts- 25 years
• Daniel Polite – 25 years 
• Anthony Riggi – 25 years
•  Brian Galbreath- 25 years
• Mark Freese- 25 years
• Matthew McMahon- 25 years
• Tina Stevens- 25 years
•  Keith Potter- 25 years
• Richard Shepard – 25 years
• Melissa Edmonds  – 25 years
• Bonita Brown- 25 years
• Anthony Calao – 25 years
• Marla Stevens – 20 years
• Mark Powell – 20 years 
• Anthony DeWitt- 20 years 
• Shawn Smith – 15 years
• Sarah Lewis – 15 years 
• Christopher Burch – 15 years
• Deborah Freberger – 15 years
• Robin Culver – 15 years
• Samarakoon Yapa – 15 years
• Kim Macfarland – 15 years
• Kimberly Lambert – 10 years
• Della Penn – 10 years
• Charles Bradford – 10 years
• Heather Harmon Disque – 10 years
• Sarah Zastrow – 10 years
• Misti Wilson – 10 years
• Marcia Solomon – 10 years 
• Aaron Shurtleff – 10 years
• Susan Kozlovsky – 10 years
• Tong Hsu – 10 years
• Shankar Mondal – 5 years 
• Nancy Larochelle – 5 years
• Amber North-Staves – 5 years
• Kenyon Hooker – 5 years
• Robert O’Ferrall – 5 years
• Alison Wilkinson – 5 years
• Scott Larzelere – 5 years
• Kaitlyn Fox – 5 years
• Steve Szelestei  5 years
• Stephen Goff – 5 years

MARYLAND

Allegany

• Charlotta (Susan) Winebrenner, Forest Pest Management, 35 years 

Anne Arundel

• Aaron Shurtleff, Plant Protection & Weed Management, 10 years
• Bonita Brown, Fiscal Services Accounts, 25 years 
• Della Penn, Animal Health Antibiotic/ADT, 10 years 
• Marcia Solomon, Plant Industries & Pest Management, 10 years 

Baltimore City

• Thomas Fagan, Weights & Measures, 40 years
• Anthony De Witt, Mosquito Control, 20 years

Calvert

• Stephen Goff, Pesticide Regulations, 5 years

Caroline

• Dexter “Craig” Crotts, Marketing, Animal Industries & Consumer Services, 25 years
• Mark Powell, Marketing, Animal Industries & Consumer Services, 20 years
• Deborah Freburger, Nutrient Management, 15 years
• Kim McFarland, Turf & Seed Seed Lab, 15 years

Carroll

• Marla Stevens, Animal Health Assistant Chief Field, 20 years
• Melissa Edmonds, Carroll SCD, 25 years

Cecil

• Anthony Calao, Plant Protection & Weed Management, 25 years

Charles

• Kenyon Hooker, Food Quality Assurance Advanced Food Inspection, 5 years

Dorchester

• Charles Bradford, Resource Conservation District Operations Eastern Shore, 10 years
• Robert O’Ferrall, Food Quality Assurance Grading, Egg & Grain Inspection, 5 years
• Misti Wilson, Mosquito Control Eastern Region – Salibury, 10 years

Frederick

• Mark Freese, Resource Conservation District Operations Western & Central MD, 25 years

Harford

• Brian Galbreath, Resource Conservation District Operations – Western & Central MD, 25 years

Howard

• Kimberly Lambert, Animal Health Lab Scientist, 10 years

Kent

• Steve Szelestei, Nutrient Management Eastern Shore, 5 years

Montgomery

• Samarakoon Yapa, Pesticide Regulations Inspection Team, 15 years
• Tong Hsu, Weights & Measures, 10 years

Prince George’s

• Sarah Zastrow, Mosquito Control – Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, 10 years

Queen Anne’s

• Amber North-Staves, Resource Conservation Grants Ecosystem Incentive Program, 5 years
• Scott Larzelere, Mosquito Control, 5 years
• Tina Stevens, Resource Conservation Program Planning & Evaluation, 25 years

St. Mary’s

• Nancy Larochelle, Resource Conservation District Operations – Patuxent Region, 5 years
• Sara Lewis, Resource Conservation District Operations – Patuxent Region, 15 years

Talbot

• Heather Harmon-Disque, Forest Pest Management, 10 years
• Kaitlyn Fox, Mosquito Control Eastern Region – Salisbury, 5 years
• Shawn Smith, Resource Conservation District Operations Eastern Shore, 15 years

Wicomico

• Alison Wilkinson, Marketing, Animal Industries & Consumer Services – Weights & Measures, 5 years 
• David Mister, Resource Conservation District Operations, 35 years
• Robin Culver, Nutrient Management Eastern Shore, 15 years
• Shankar Mondal, Animal Health, 5 years

DELAWARE

Kent

• Anthony Riggi, Resource Conservation District Operations Eastern Shore, 25 years

Harrington

• Richard Shepard, Resource Conservation District Operations Eastern Shore, 25 years

Wilmington

• Daniel Polite, Resource Conservation District Operations Eastern Shore, 25 years

PENNSYLVANIA

Franklin

• Christopher Burch, Resource Conservation District Operations Western & Central MD, 15 years

Glen Rock

• Matthew McMahon, Resource Conservation District Operations Western & Central MD, 25 years

Warfordsburg

• Keith Potter, Resource Conservation District Operations, 25 years

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