Contact Information:

Meg Matthews

Public Relations Manager

mmatthews@littlerock.gov

(501) 804-4822

Public Works Employee Wins

2012 Mahlon A. Martin Award

The Mahlon A. Martin Employee of the Year Award was given to Travis Rumph on Wednesday, May 16^th during a luncheon at the Embassy Suites Hotel.

City Manager Bruce Moore presented the award to Rumph. “I’ve known for several days that Travis was going to receive this award,” said Moore “and yesterday I had my decision reaffirmed when I received an unsolicited email from a City of Little Rock employee.  This person wrote that Travis exemplifies everything that makes an employee of the year – he works hard, is dependable, pleasant and friendly.”

“I knew the moment I hired him, he was the diamond in the rough,” said his supervisor Bill Knoedl.  “And it didn’t take him long to start shining.”

Rumph is the loader and grinder operator at the Solid Waste Division – he creates mulch and compost which is then sold to the public.

“He’s friendly with everybody – our customers and his co-workers. He’s just a good example for everyone to follow,” said Solid Waste Division Manager Warren Atkins.

The Mahlon A. Martin Award was established in 2004 by City Manager Bruce Moore to acknowledge City of Little Rock employees who exhibit a high quality of job performance and significantly contribute to the quality of life within the City. Martin was the first African-American to serve as Little Rock City Manager, Director of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, and Manager of Methods and Standards Departments of Systematics, Inc. Martin also served as President of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation until his death in 1995. Although Martin’s rise up through the ranks to become Little Rock’s first African-American City Manager is highly significant, the Employee of Year Award is named in his memory as a testament to the type of person that he was and the integrity he maintained throughout his career in government.

Rumph received a plaque, a check for $1000.00 and a paid week off.