ROCKINGHAM – The Carol M. Birckhead Award honors outstanding county extension directors annually for extraordinary service. In 2016, Susan Kelly, of Richmond County was nominated by her staff members and chosen as the Outstanding County Extension Director of North Carolina.
During the January meeting of the Richmond County Commissioners, Bryan Land, County Manager, bragged on several Richmond County staff members who had recently received recognition for their efforts. One of those employees was Susan Kelly, Richmond County Extension Director. Kelly as it turns out, managed to keep her award very quiet until now. Thanks to Land, the secret is out.
In late 2016, Kelly was awarded the Carol M. Birckhead Award for Outstanding County Extension Director for all of North Carolina.
“I am always thrilled when our employees receive any type of recognition or accolade of a positive manner,” Land recently commented.
That is why, when he was made aware of it, he just had to spread the good news. The award is given annually to one of North Carolina’s 101 extension directors for outstanding service and achievement.
“My staff nominated me, which was really, really wonderful,” Kelly remarked on receiving the award. “I’d only been here four years, I thought it was great!”
According to the North Carolina State Extension’s webpage, some of the key criteria for the Carol M. Birckhead Award include:
• How the County Extension Director (CED) has gone above and beyond the “call of duty”.
• How the CED’s administrative style involves others in decision-making processes.
• How the CED recognizes and develops others.
• How the CED encourages excellence in program areas and teamwork.
• Recognition of the CED’s leadership ability by others in the county.
• Significant contributions or changes he/she has made in the County Extension Program(s).
Kelly is originally from Ohio, but spent time in Florida before coming to North Carolina. She previously was an agriscience teacher and administrator for Orange County Schools, as well as a county extension director in Florida for eight years before accepting a position in Richmond County. She has now been Richmond County’s Extension Director for almost five years.
In her role as Extension Director of Richmond County, Kelly oversees a group of extension agents as part of an educational unit at North Carolina State University. Kelly and her team focus on livestock, horticulture, nutrition, youth and community development.
Kelly said while it was a big honor at the time she received the award, she didn’t want to appear to be bragging, and therefore, didn’t widely share the news. However, she noted that she really enjoys her job, working for Richmond County and the commissioners, and thought she should share the news.
“It’s to their (the commissioners) credit that they give me the latitude to do what we do,” Kelly said. “We’ve made a lot of changes and strides in what we do and it’s all because they give us the rope to do it.”
The Richmond Observer congratulates Susan Kelly on her award and commends the Richmond County Commissioners for the freedom they give county employees to achieve success in their efforts to make Richmond County a great place to live, work and raise a family.
