During a recent Holiday Employee Appreciation Lunch at which all employees were celebrated, Halifax County management recognized three during the 2022 awards presentation. 

Michael Pittman of the Operation Restart and WIOA program received the Special Achievement Award. Major Neil Aycock of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office was recognized as the Employee of the Year. Brenda Faithful, director of the Halifax County Library System, was selected as the Department Head of the Year.

County Manager Dia Denton said, “Mr. Pittman, Major Aycock and Mrs. Faithful are all very deserving of these awards. They are prime examples of what it means to be dedicated public servants, and they are to be commended for their hard work and leadership.”

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Pittman

According to Pittman’s Special Achievement award nomination, he is often the first to volunteer to help with anything, from coordinating clean-up projects to serving at food banks and delivering meals to shut-ins. 

He mentors at-risk youth in community service programs, instilling in them important life skills necessary to grow into adults who can be assets to communities in the future. 

Pittman speaks at youth-focused events and in-school programs to motivate students to make positive choices and treats them fairly and with empathy.

He finds solutions to help move these young people forward. 

In speaking with youth, Pittman doesn’t sugar-coat the life lessons he shares about the positive choices they should make as they grow into adulthood, and through his honesty, he earns their respect. 

His positive attitude causes those around him to look for the best in themselves. Pittman does not seek the spotlight, yet he is recognized throughout Halifax County for his positive impact and dedication to serve our young people.

Aycock

It was said of Employee of the Year Aycock that he leads by example by sacrificing a great deal of time for the sheriff’s office and is constantly setting the bar for others, showing leadership that is all about making sure the ship runs. 

He is very flexible with a willingness to help citizens and other county departments that is second to none, making adjustments constantly to ensure that those in need have service. He is very attentive to other departments’ needs and always makes sure that he considers them

before making a decision.

Aycock constantly looks for ways to get necessary equipment while remaining cost-conscious. He was the driving force behind pursuing the Enterprise lease that took the sheriff’s office from having a fleet of older vehicles to a department with a quality, reliable and safe fleet. 

His hard work and dedication make the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office a better place to work and help enable the Sheriff’s Office to provide the best service possible to Halifax County citizens.

Faithful

In her nomination for Department Head of the Year, Faithful was described as being a “true servant to the people of Halifax County” and someone who “works in the trenches with her staff and others.” 

A true coach for her team, she was said to be “everything you want in a co-worker, director and friend” by giving her team “all the empowerment we need to perform our jobs to the best of our ability.” 

Her first priority is always the good of the customers, and she treats everyone with respect and courtesy. Her style is to get to the heart of the matter in a firm but mild-mannered way, so all parties feel heard and respected.

Faithful led her team in navigating the rough waters of COVID, developing innovative ways to adapt to the new normal and still connect with customers. 

The Halifax County Library System team took their core program of story-time and re-imagined it on a virtual platform that reached far more people than could have been imagined, not only around the country but also around the world, and won one of 10 2022 Local Government Federal Credit Union Excellence in Innovation awards that were presented at the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Conference held in Concord in August.

“Halifax County is proud of all of the employees who provide essential services to county citizens,” the county said. “Each employee deserves recognition for a job well done that often goes unnoticed.”