Awards & Recognition
2024-25 Staff Awards
At our annual awards ceremony in October 2025, we came together to reflect on a successful year and recognize the remarkable achievements and leadership of our exceptional staff. The following individuals were honored for their outstanding contributions:
- Supervisor of the Year - Wilbert Jean
- Employee of the Year - Misty Smith
- Helping Hand Award - Manuel Quintanilla
- Dedication Award - Angel Maldonado
- Budget Crusher Award - Armando Reyes
- Sky's the Limit Award - Priscilla Perez
- Safety Leadership Award - Abel Flores Jr.
- Rising Star Award - Jesse Howell
(Back row: Jesse Howell, Commissioner Anne Goodnight, Wilbert Jean, Misty Smith, Angel Maldonado, Manuel Quintanilla. Front row: Priscilla Perez, Abel Flores Jr., Armando Reyes)
District Takes 2nd Place in The Cherryle Thomas Christmas Around the World Parade
On December 21, 2024, the District participated in the annual Christmas parade in Immokalee. The parade typically kicks-off the Christmas season, but this year the parade somewhat wrapped up the Christmas season over the weekend leading up to Christmas Day.
The District's employees we have fun coming up with their float idea and take pride in assembling the float each year, in support of the local community event hosted by the Immokalee Eastern Chamber of Commerce.
Pictured below is a photo of the float titled "The Nutcracker". The parade theme was "Songs of Christmas." Staff chose the song "Sugar Plum Fairy" from the well-known ballet titled "The Nutcracker."
(Pictured in the photo is the District's whimsical, playful float, alongside employees and their family)
2023-24 Staff Awards
During our annual awards ceremony in December 2024, we gathered for our annual awards ceremony to reflect on another year of success, where we celebrated the achievements and leadership of our outstanding staff. The following individuals were honored with awards for their exceptional contributions:
- Supervisor of the Year - Jeff Carpenter
- Employee of the Year - Danyon Torres
- Grit & Determination Award - Chris Lofton
- Consider it Done Award - Tavis Rios
- World in Her Hands Award - Norma Ocanas
- Best Team Player Award - Ilda Penaloza
- Creativity Award - Salvador Garcia
- Most Likely to Go the Extra Mile Award - Alex Hernandez, Jr.
(Pictured left to right: Norma Ocanas, Danyon Torres, Tavis Rios, Chris Lofton, Commissioner Magda Ayala, Ilda Penaloza, Commissioner Bonnie Keen, and Commissioner Robert Halman)
2024 Safety and Risk Management Member of the Year
The District's dedicated Safety Committee earned the 2024 Preferred Safety & Risk Management Member of the Year Award presented by Preferred Government Insurance Trust. The award goes to a member that has demonstrated continuous improvement through sound risk management practices as measured primarily by the performance of their organization’s insurance program. The award program takes into consideration 140 municipalities in the Southwest Florida region.
2022-2023 Staff Awards
In November 2023, we celebrated another successful year by honoring several staff who demonstrated a great deal of leadership and accomplishments worth recognizing. The following staff received awards for:
- Supervisor of the Year - Lance York
- Employee of the Year - Veronica Garcia
- The High Flyer - Misty Smith
- Company Excellence - Danyon Torres
- Dashing Debut - Priscilla Perez
- Most Determined Employee - Andres Garcia
- Star Player of the District - Raul Cano
2021-2022 Staff Awards
Congratulations to the following staff who received an award at the District's Annual Dinner and Awards Presentation on November 16, 2022. The District is proud of you and glad to call you one of our own. Keep up the great work!
- Supervisor of the Year - Lance York
- Employee of the Year - Wilbert Jean
- To the Moon and Back - Commissioner Joseph Brister
- Super Squad - Ladislado Garcia, Armando Herrera, Norma Ocanas, Armando Reyes, Abel Flores, Salvador Garcia and Danyon Torres
- The Most Improved Performer - Jeremy Knepel
- Rise & Shine - Raul Cano
- Best Customer Centricity - Ubaldo Guzman
Pictured left to right: Front row - Armando Reyes, Abel Flores, Jeremy Knepel, Ladislado Garcia. Back row - Raul Cano, Wilbert Jean, Joseph Brister, Norma Ocanas, Lance York
2015 FWPCOA Outstanding Web Site Award
Immokalee Water & Sewer District (IWSD) received the 2015 Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators (FW&PCOA) Outstanding Web Site Award at the Awards Ceremony on August 12, 2015, in Fort Pierce.
“The FW&PCOA recognizes the growing importance of the Internet, and its use as a tool in providing service to our customers. The Outstanding Web Site Award was established by the FW&PCOA Board of Directors in 2001. This award shall be presented annually to that water, wastewater, stormwater or reclaimed water utility or municipality within the state that is judged to provide the most outstanding internet web site to their customers.”
FRWA 2008 Wastewater Collection Operator of the Year
Hector Ramos, IWSD Wastewater Collection Supervisor was named the Florida Rural Water Association's "2008 Distribution/Collection Operator of the Year" during the 2008 Annual Conference which was held in Daytona Beach on August 12, 2008. Hector Ramos has been employed with the District for more than 40 years.