FOLEY, Alabama — Saturday night, December 3^rd, Vernie Heard was named Riviera Utilities 2011 Employee of the Year. Vernie is one of those rare individuals that come along in your lifetime that you know there is something special about him. 

“When you meet Vernie, you can feel and see the goodness in his heart. He is a person you want to listen to and hang on to every word he says,” stated David Horton, Manager of Public Affairs. “Vernie is one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. He loves his God, his family, his job and his country.”

That is the type individual Riviera Utilities Employee of the Year demonstrates and lives each and every day.

Vernie Heard has been around the world, literally. He is a Human Resources Coordinator on the HR staff in the Foley office. Heard was completely shocked when he was chosen Employee of the Month in July, but no one else was. He is the perfect role model for our younger employees and is committed to Riviera, the community and his country.

Heard began his career with Riviera in 1988 as a meter reader, and in 2007 he was promoted to the Supervisor of the Meter Department. Then in 2010, he was promoted to his current position in the HR Department. Heard holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resources from Faulkner University, which he earned while attending school at night. 

Everyone at Riviera knows that Heard served in the National Guard, reaching the rank of 1^st Sergeant. He has been to Korea three times, once while working security at the Seoul Olympics. Does anyone remember the bombing at the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta in 1996? Well, Vernie was there too, working Olympics security and coordinating communications. He worked directly for the person who became the primary suspect for the bombing.  

Shortly after his work at the Olympics, Heard obtained a top security clearance. In 2003, he was the single individual chosen from the state of Alabama to work for Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon for eleven months. While he was in Washington, the Iraq war began. He returned home and was mobilized with his guard unit for a one-year tour of duty in Iraq. His job was coordinating communications (phones, radios, laptops) for the Signal Network for his unit operations. 

Recently, Heard was invited to attend a retirement ceremony in Washington D.C. for U.S. Brigadier General, Renwick Payne, who became a friend while he was working there. Heard dined one evening at the White House and played golf the next day at Camp David with some well-known dignitaries. 

Can you imagine having these men for your golfing partners, Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense and present Secretary of Defense and former CIA Director, Leon Panetta? It’s true and amazing! And he doesn’t even play the game of golf. Heard said he didn’t mind hanging around with such a prestigious group of men. What an honor for Heard to be invited to participate in such a wonderful event.

“I have known Vernie for quite a few years and I appreciate his outstanding character and the values he lives by,” stated Mike Dugger, General Manager. “He is an unbelievable individual, a tremendous role model for us all and has served Riviera and his country well for a lot of years. I am proud to say that he is our Employee of the Year.”

Heard grew up in Foley, Ala., with three brothers and one sister. His father, Vernie Heard Sr. still lives in Foley. Vernie lost his precious wife, Linda, suddenly a year and a half ago and they had two sons, Sharod and Vernie Heard III, who attend Foley High School. His two nieces, Vanessa and Laila, are a special part of his life too. When he is not working or serving on one of the various local city boards, he enjoys playing basketball with his friends. In our minds, Vernie Heard is the perfect person for this year’s Employee of the Year. 

Other employees that were selected Employee of the Month during the year are as follows:   Wes McKenzie, December 2010; in 2011, Steve Brooks, January; Leighanne Stewart, February; Doug Ewing, March; Dan Davis, April; Lori Young, May; Bob Freitag, July; Brad Brewer, August; Cameron Paulk, September; James Wallace, October and Kevin Switzer, November.