| Indianapolis - Auditor of State of Indiana
Connie Nass presented Vicki K. Shull with a "Sagamore
of the Wabash" today in a ceremony at the Statehouse
attended by thirty of her fellow employees. Auditor
Nass thanked Vicki for her "speedy and accurate work,
her caring personality, and the wisdom and advice she
has dispensed to the past ten State Auditors beginning
in the 1960s." Vicki's thirty-two years of service will
end on December 31, 2000. "Glory often goes to the more
visible, especially the state officeholders, instead,
today is different," Nass said. Praising Vicki's attitude
and loyalty, Auditor Nass stated that, "this is a time
for honoring and thanking you for 32 years of service
to the citizens of Indiana and the office of Auditor
of State. Your commitment to the Auditor's team is an
example for all other state employees. We're going to
miss your can-do attitude and wonderful smile." Governor
Frank O'Bannon awarded Vicki the honor for her dedication
and stated he was "honored to appoint you a Sagamore
of the Wabash and to express the appreciation of all
Hoosiers for your commitment to making Indiana a better
place to live and raise a family." Shull began working
at the State Auditor's office in 1968 under Auditor
of State Dorothy Gardner. Vicki worked for several years
in the Payroll Department before joining the Accounts
Payable Department where she processes vendor payments
and coordinates inter-departmental billings. In her
years of service with the State, Shull has seen many
technological changes. When she first began working
for the Auditor's office, the Payroll Department used
keypunch paper cards; now Vicki is proficient on the
latest Pentium processing equipment. Vicki is a 1959
graduate of Ben Davis High School. The Sagamore of the
Wabash award was created during the term of Governor
Ralph Gates, who served from 1945 to 1949. Governor
Gates was to attend a tri-state meeting in Louisville
with officials from the states of Ohio and Kentucky.
Aides to the governor discovered that the governor of
Kentucky was preparing Kentucky Colonel certificates
for Governor Gates and Senator Robert A. Taft, who was
to represent the State of Ohio. The Hoosiers decided
that Indiana should have an appropriate award to present
in return. The term "Sagamore" was used by the American
Indian Tribes of the northeastern United States to describe
a lesser chief or a great man among the tribe to whom
the true Chief would look for wisdom and advice. Each
governor since Gates has presented the certificates
in his own way. The award is the highest honor that
the Governor of Indiana bestows. It is a personal tribute
given to those who have rendered a distinguished service
to the State or to the Governor. |
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