Service Award: Jana Chicoine, 25 Years

Jana Chicoine received a 25-year service award at the January 2007 Commission meeting. From left are Steve Coffman, FM/HR director; Jana Chicoine, FM/HR administrative officer; OCC Chairman George Stunkard George Stunkard and Executive Director Mike Thralls.

Jana Chicoine, Administrative Officer with the Conservation Commission's Financial Management/Human Resources division, was recognized at the January 2007 Commission meeting for 25 years of service to OCC and the state of Oklahoma.

Jana began her career in conservation on Dec. 7, 1981, as the district secretary for Cleveland County Conservation District. On March 20, 1984, she accepted the position of Account Clerk III at OCC. In her current position as Administrative Officer her duties include accounts payable, payroll, purchasing and budgeting and she is a Certified Procurement Officer. She also monitors changes in laws and rules administered by the Office of State Finance and the Office of the State Treasurer that might affect OCC or conservation districts.

Steve Coffman, FM/HR division director, cited several milestones in Jana's career. They include facilitating conservation district employees into the state retirement system in 1988; managing district employees' health insurance by private contract until 1989 when the became eligible for the state insurance program; and ensuring that the stressful conversion of payroll to the state's new CORE accounting system took place flawlessly in 2003.

"Jana is an extremely valuable employee to both the Commission and the FM/HR division," Coffman said, "and I feel very fortunate to work with Jana and to recognize her today for 25 years of service."