Governor Announces Winner of the 29th Annual Virginia Hart Award

Governor Scott Walker announced today that Janet Smith, Environmental Coordinator, for the Department of Transportation, was the winner of the 2012 Virginia Hart Award. 

The award was given in honor of Virginia Hart, Wisconsin’s first female cabinet member.  

Ms. Smith was honored at a ceremony in the Senate Parlor at the State Capitol this afternoon.  During the ceremony, Justice Roggensack praised the contributions of Virginia Hart, and congratulated Ms. Smith on her award.

Seven employees received honorable mention at the ceremony.  These employees include Rose Larson, Mary Kay Sergo, and Pamela Zank, Department of Corrections; Leslie Van Buskirk, Department of Financial Institutions; Nicole Teasley, Department of Health Services; Amie Egstad, Department of Natural Resources; and Darcey Varese, Office of Justice Assistance. 

Virginia Hart served as Secretary of the Department of Regulation and Licensing, chairperson of the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, and as chairperson of the Labor and Industry Review Commission. Upon her retirement from state service in 1983, friends and colleagues established a fund in her name to annually recognize a woman for her substantial contribution to Wisconsin state service.

The Virginia Hart Award is administered by the Office of Employment Relations.