Service Person of the Year
Personnel of the Year
Gary Brydie
Cabell County
Gary Brydie is a school bus operator for Cabell County Schools, a position he has held for more than 12 years. His colleagues consider him a model employee who takes pride in providing safe transportation for his students and serving as a role model for youth. In addition to the positive relationship Brydie has with the students, he is a member of the Neighboring Initiative Charitable Trust Board, serves as chairman of the Positive People Association Board, works as the manager of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Community Service, is a member of the Huntington Black Pastor’s Ministerial Alliance, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Shepard’s House Recovery Program and the Salt of the World Ministries. He is also a member of the Alliance’s Quick Response Team where he meets with community members, paramedics and other agency representatives to address the drug overdose problems facing the community.
Kathrine Miller
Wayne County
Katherine Miller, the state’s Service Personnel of the Year winner, is a cafeteria manager at Wayne High School in Wayne County. A pillar of support for her students and community, she has been in her current role for 19 years. Miller’s consistent dedication is displayed by her involvement in the development and implementation of her school’s meal pick-up program, school improvement days and cooking pre-game meals for the football team. Additionally, she participates in fundraising dinners for Hospice of Huntington and is involved with the Wayne County Special Olympics.
Susie Kirkpatrick
Gilmer County
Susie Kirkpatrick is a bus operator for Gilmer County Schools. She began her career at Gilmer County Schools as a substitute bus operator and came to love the job and the students who relied on her. This year marks 36 years as a full-time bus operator for Kirkpatrick, who drives her day run, morning/afternoon career center run, and an evening activity bus every day. To make all of these trips without any accidents during her career speaks highly of her performance over the past three-plus decades. As an EMT in Gilmer County, Kirkpatrick also finds time to teach first aid and CPR to all school staff. She enjoys her roles as an athletic trainer for Gilmer County’s sports teams and a safety presenter to elementary school children with “Buster the School Bus.” Throughout the pandemic, Kirkpatrick has driven her school bus routes to help feed students and make home visits. Because of her concern, she often called students if they failed to pick up their meals just to make sure they were okay.