Four individuals and three teams earned Star Awards from Michigan Department of Human Services. The awards were presented during the department's annual employee award program April 1 in Lansing. The winners represent 45 different communities around the state.

"Star Award winners represent the best and brightest," DHS Director Ismael Ahmed said. "These people go above and beyond to help coworkers, their clients and the public better access benefits in our system. They help define the DHS as an engine for good in Michigan."

The Star Award program is an annual employee recognition program started in 2007. Award winners were nominated by peers and/or managers for outstanding service to clients, coworker and partners. Individual winners include:

• Cynthia Gill Pushman, from Gaylord, the director of Otsego-Crawford DHS.
• Karen Sue Foster, from Sandusky, community resource coordinator with Sanilac-Lapeer DHS.
• William Melcher, from Newaygo, a Family to Family coordinator with Mecosta-Osceola DHS.
• Annmarie Eggert, from Williamston, a case specialist with DHS Disability Determination Service in Lansing.

Team awards were presented to three teams. The two-member Oakland County Personal Care-Household Item Resource Team helped establish a personal care inventory for DHS clients going to job interviews. Team members are:

• Colleen R. Corey from Royal Oak.
• Adam Paul Schultz from Waterford.

The 17-member Making It Work Program Team from Kalamazoo County that work with local agencies to provide housing stability and homelessness avoidance for clients. The team members are:

• Sherry Thomas Cloud, Sandy Lemley, Jen denOtter, Jeaninne Sytsema, Michael Childress, John Davis and Jane King from Kalamazoo.
• Valerie McNutt, Kathy Smyser and Galyn Barnum from Portage.
• Angela Easterday from Eaton Rapids.
• Kerrie Jackson from Plainwell.
• Russ Surbrook from Parchment.
• Beverly Barrone form Gobles.
• Denise Kubiszak from Paw Paw.
• Julie Stebbin from Three Rivers.
• Ellen Kisinger-Rothi from Lawton.
• John Dillworth from Richland.

The 80-member Bridges Test Team tested applications on the upcoming Bridges eligibility and payment program to determine its fit for employees and to help debug problems before the computerized application goes online. Team members are listed alphabetically by hometown:

• James Criste from Adrian.
• Larry Rogers from Alanson.
• Cindy Shackleton from Alpena.
• Kelly Brandt from Battle Creek.
• Ted Sell from Bellaire.
• Gina M. Goss from Bessemer.
• Sharon K. Dulek from Big Rapids.
• Mark Anderson and Ted Pfeiffer from Brighton.
• Joann Schwarz from Cadillac.
• Dan Ellis from Caledonia.
• Dan Bauer, Joan Lamoreaux, Linda Martinez and Sue Fassett from Charlotte.
• Pamela George and Michelle Tanzy from Dearborn.
• Joy Howard and Kimberly Noles-Rollins from Detroit.
• Carol Kraklan from DeWitt.
• Lancea Daly and Charlene Watters from Dimondale.
• Fidelia Notman from East Lansing.
• Roeiah Epps from Eastpointe.
• Pam Hartenburg, Cathy Jones and Nancy Jackson from Eaton Rapids.
• Dennise Grant from Farwell.
• Gary A. Johnson from Flint.
• Beverly A. Nehls from Flushing.
• Laura Dockham from Freeland.
• Denise Bielski from Garden City.
• Melinda Thompson from Grand Ledge.
• James McHoskey and Dianna Schaafsma from Grand Rapids.
• Bridget Ludwig from Granger, Ind.
• Tina M. Williams from Hastings.
• Colleen Cadena from Haslett.
• Marleen Forsyth from Holland.
• Antonio Baldwin and Mave Coxon from Holt.
• MiWha Clark from Huntington Woods.
• Vanola A. Williams from Inkster.
• Lois Krieger from Ionia.
• Jo Adams from Jackson.
• Merry Stuard from Jerome.
• Lindsey DeLeo, Kevin James Miller and Gayla Norris from Kalamazoo.
• Barbel DeWitt, Sylvia McCoy, Judy Miller, David Putnam, Linda Rose, Daphne Shane, Phil Tobin, Delia Vallejo and Jean Lantzer-Brailey from Lansing.
• Edwin Dinkgrave from Livonia.
• Mary Iott and Andrea Putnam from Mason.
• Alan Wikman from Marquette.
• Richard Rapparlie from Mattawan.
• Desiree DeCaire from Montrose.
• Brant Cole from Onstead.
• Abbey Brooks and Cynthia Eberhard from Perrinton.
• Kelly Morse from Perry.
• Amy Assante from Petoskey.
• Diane Bush from Portland.
• Janice Mack-Walker from Romulus.
• Cindy Mey from Saginaw.
• Jamie Byerly from Shelbyville.
• Vanessa M. Mauldin and Sheila Barbour from Southfield.
• Robert Drake, Dawn Wolven and RoseMary Nobach from St. Johns.
• Janet Holmstrom from Stockbridge.
• Leslie A. Fall from West Branch.

Some award winners are not listed based on their preference.

For more information go to www.michigan.gov/dhs

Call 517-373-7394 to acquire an electronic photo of Pushman, Foster, Melcher and Eggart.