RiCI announces Correctional Officer, Employee of year
Aaron Anderson has been selected as the Richland Correctional Officer of the Year.
Shawn Shelton is the Richland Correctional Employee of the Year.
Warden Kenneth Black made the announcement Tuesday.
Anderson began his career with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction at RiCI in July 1999.
"Officer Anderson is a dedicated, veteran employee who is a leader in the institution and a mentor to other officers and staff," Black said.
Anderson is a U.S. Army veteran
Anderson served his country in the U.S. Army in Operation Desert Storm. An exceptional softball player, he has played for the RiCI softball team for years, including two tournament wins. Anderson and three other staff members received an Impact Award in June 2020 for assisting an incarcerated individual who was found unresponsive.
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He has three children and enjoys volunteering at his son's school and loves to read books on history. He is a member of the Mansfield community.
Shelton, former correctional officer, now registered nurse
Shelton is the RiCI Employee of the Year and began his career with ODRC in 1994 as a contract licensed practical nurse and worked at several institutions within the state. He was a correctional officer at Mansfield Correctional Institution before transferring to RiCI as an LPN in 2007.
In 2017, Shelton attained his registered nurse license.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shelton served the institution as the acting health care administrator, displayed outstanding leadership within the medical department and was promoted to the position full time in August 2021.
He has four children, two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and enjoys riding his motorcycle in his spare time.
Black said, "During the last year, both Aaron and Shawn demonstrated exceptional leadership within their departments. We are proud to have such dedicated and hardworking employees represent our institution."
Each month, an officer and an employee are nominated by their peers and supervisors as the officer and employee of the month. At the end of the year, a panel reviews the candidates and selects one officer and employee to represent the institution for the year.
They are announced during correctional employee week and attend various institutional events.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Aaron Anderson has been a correction officer since 1999.
