The highest award given by the New York State Association of Personnel and Civil Service Officers is the “Merit & Fitness Award”, which recognizes contributions made by an individual to the administration of the New York State Merit System and for contributions of time and energies in support of the Association.
Annually, the Association will recognize a Civil Service administrator or other government official with responsibility for their jurisdiction’s merit system administration who has demonstrated exceptional public service in support of Article V Section 6 of the NYS Constitution and service to the NYSAPCSO as a board member or other direct means of support.
Nominations can be submitted to the Association’s Secretary at any time. Information on eligibility, criteria, and how to submit a nomination can be found within the Merit and Fitness Award Nomination Form.

NYSAPCSO President John Charon presents the 2017 Merit and Fitness Award to Maria Kenneally of OCOMA
Prior Merit & Fitness Award Winners
1997 George C. Sinnott, President, NYS Civil Service Commission
1998 NYS Governor George Pataki
1999 Robert Gregory, Director, NYSAC
2000 Ted Doyle, Director, Municipal Service Division, NYS Civil Service
2001 Alan Schneider, Personnel Director, Suffolk County
2002 Thomas Pillsworth, Former Director, MSD, NYS Civil Service
2005 Karl Kampe, Executive Director, Nassau County
2006 NYS Civil Service Commissioners
2007 Ray Greene, Director, Municipal Service Division, NYS Civil Service
2010 Maureen Sullivan, Personnel Officer, Oswego County
2010 Ed Brancati, Westchester County Civil Service
2011 Frank Sinicropi, Personnel Officer, Seneca County
2012 Paul Eldridge, Personnel Officer, Putnum County
2013 David Moshier, Human Resources Director, Cattaraugus County
2014 Bethany O’Rourke, Personnel Officer, Tioga County
2016 Mary Krause, former Personnel Officer, Ontario County
2016 Patty Familo, Personnel Administrator, Oswego County
2017 Maria Kenneally, Principal Municipal Personnel Consultant, OCOMA
2018 Stephen Estes, Deputy Commissioner of Human Resources, Tompkins County
2019 Kathy Corona, Personnel Officer, Seneca County
2022 Francis Belleville, Municipal Service Division, NYS Civil Service