May 2013

dms difference

Volume 2 - Issue 11

Secretary’s messageDear DMS Colleagues,

As we near end of May, we are able to look back on this month as time of great recognition for

your service to the State of Florida. Governor Rick Scott signed a proclamation declaring May

5-11 as Public Service Recognition Week. In addition, DMS held the 2013 Employee Appreciation

Day under the Oaks on May 17. The event was a perfect time for us to focus on where we were,

where we are now, and where we are heading as an agency. I enjoyed chatting with many of you in

a casual setting that featured great food and live music from the outstanding band, Big Daddy and

the Red Hot Java.

Unveiling the new DMS brand was also an important turning point for us as an agency. It will

provide DMS with a unified identity as we move forward with accomplishing great initiatives in

the future. Every state employee and taxpayer will now have a much better understanding of the

services we provide to the state workforce and Florida families.

As we head into the summer, I want you to know that I truly value your hard work and dedication

to this agency and state government. As I said during the employee appreciation event, I am very

proud of our success and I am even more excited about what is on the horizon for our agency.

Without your efforts, this would not be possible. Thank you for everything you bring to the DMS

family.

Sincerely,

Craig J. Nichols

Agency Secretary

calendarJune 5TaxWatch’s 25th Anniversary Awards Gala (invitation only)

June 7Fort Myers Regional MatchMaker

June 30deadline to complete annual employee evaluations

July 1new fiscal year begins

July 1new performance management system activation date

July 4Independence Day (observed)

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Follow @FloridaDMS

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2013 Employee Appreciation Day

Colleagues enjoyed food, fellowship and festivities under the oaks when DMS celebrated

Employee Appreciation Day on May 17. Following a leisurely luncheon of complimentary

hamburgers, hotdogs and dessert, Secretary Nichols unveiled the new DMS logo. Michael

Greif ’s band, Big Daddy and the Red Hot Java, provided ear-pleasing, blues-injected

entertainment. Thank you to our grill team, support staff, and dessert competition judges for

making this a memorable day for all who attended.

Congratulations to our dessert competition winners!Pies & Overall winner: Sharon Runyan’s Chocolate Delight

Brownies & Bars: Kristin Bigham’s The DP “Chew”-hundred

Cookies: Pattie Harrison’s Oreo balls

Cakes & Cupcakes: Tied for first were Anne Rabon’s

coconut cake and Connie Mayo’s cheesecake.

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DMS Leadership Behind Bars: A Tour of Graceville Correctional Facility

On May 24, 2013, Secretary Nichols and several members of DMS leadership and the Bureau of Private Prison Monitoring

traveled to Jackson County for a tour of Graceville Correctional Facility with Secretary Mike Crews and his principal

institutional administrators. This facility is one of several for which the DMS Bureau of Private Prison Monitoring manages

operational contracts, among other responsibilities. Facility administrators graciously provided a thorough and informative tour

of the facility and its daily operations. View a photo gallery of the trip on our DMS Facebook page.

Graceville was selected to work with Auburn University’s Canine Detection Research Institute – part of the Animal Health and

Performance Program at the University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Exceptional puppies are brought to the Graceville

Correctional Facility where the inmates’ training and interaction is an important stage of the dogs’ Explosive Detection and

Vapor Wake Training. Relationship development with the dogs and responsibility for their training and behavior has also proved

beneficial for the inmates. Learn more about Auburn’s canine programs and the DMS Bureau of Private Prison Monitoring.

Tallahassee Regional MatchMaker The Tallahassee Regional MatchMaker took place at FSU’s Turnbull Conference Center on May 23. Co-hosted by the DMS Office of Supplier Diversity, the conference provided women, minority and veteran entrepreneurs with business workshops in the morning and networking opportunities in the afternoon. With approximately 233 pre-registered and 78 walk-in attendees, the workshops were well attended. The Office of Supplier Diversity provided 12 business owners with on-site technical assistance for vendor certification.

Florida A&M University alumnus Ron Busby, Sr., President and CEO of the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce, gave an inspirational speech to small business owners at the luncheon and shared tales of his trials and successes. Following lunch, attendees took advantage of one-on-one business appointments with state and local purchasing officials.

Key partners for this MatchMaker included: Florida A&M University’s Small Business Development Center, Florida State University’s Office of Supplier Diversity, the City of Tallahassee Minority Business Office, the Leon County Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprise Division, and the Leon County School Board Minority Business Office.

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new hires Dana Edmunds (REDM)Ramona McConnel (REDM)Christopher McMullen (State Purchasing)Jamie Oppert (CIO)Brenda Parrish (HRM)Karen Share (FCHR)Josefina Tamayo (General Counsel)Kimberly Westmoreland (REDM)

retireesWilliam Daley (REDM)Charles Jefferson (Retirement)Karen McDaniel (Divtel)Leslie Young (REDM)

Password ComplexityPasswords such as Saturday2 and MyLogin2Facebook can be hacked in seconds. To secure your information, you need a complex password that you can also remember.

This nifty trick offers a solution. Think up a phrase; use the first letter of each word and change a few of the letters to symbols. For the phrase “I love to eat Rice Krispies in the morning”, change e to a 3, L to a 1, and i to a !, and you get: I1t3rk!tm. Disguised as gibberish, this is an easily-remembered, not-so-easily-hacked deadbolt on your confidential information. Use your favorite movie quote, song lyric, or catchy phrase: “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth” = A!w4c!m2ft“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” = ItbGct#&t3

Tech Tips with Joe Wright

The Division of Retirement Shares Knowledge at Trustees’ School

The DMS Division of Retirement, along with The Florida

State University’s Center for Academic & Professional

Program Services, co-sponsored the 34th Annual Police

Officers’ and Firefighters’ Pension Trustees’ School. Held at

FSU’s Turnbull Conference Center, the event lasted from

May 20-22.

Secretary Craig Nichols and State Retirement Director

Dan Drake welcomed attendees to the event on May 20.

During the following days, Patricia Shoemaker presented

seminars on division responsibilities and legislation and

tax updates. On the final day, Doug Bechendorf and Joe

Edmunds, from the local retirement section, conducted a

seminar on statute requirements.

The Board of Trustees, Hollywood Police Retirement System, presented Benefits Administrator Patricia Shoemaker with an

impressive trophy commemorating her 40 years of service to the Division of Retirement.

Governor Scott Thanks State EmployeesGovernor Rick Scott will honor 15 DMS employees at the State Employees of Leon County Service Recognition Reception. The event, to be held

at the Capitol on June 13, is designed to thank long-time public servants who have contributed 15 or more years to state service. The Department

of Management Services would like to recognize and thank the following members for their valuable time and resources in the service of Florida’s

citizens: Donna Eichhoefer, Garry Green, Willie Hunter, William Lawrence, Patricia Roberts, Sherrie Routt, Ingril White, Stacy Arias, Shirley Beauford,

Douglas Cherry, Debra Forbess, Sharon Larson, Michael Greif, Demetrius Sherrod and Linda Love.