Central ND News

Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden presented the 2025 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Public Service at a ceremony held in the Capitol’s Memorial Hall. The awards recognized teams from across state government for their service to citizens and their efforts in addressing various challenges.

More than 300 nominations were submitted by state employees this year, with the awards focusing on team achievements within agencies as well as collaborations between different agencies and organizations.

“Our state agencies continue to deliver world-class service in collaboration with each other and our local, tribal and federal partners,” Armstrong said. “This year’s awards highlight teams that went above and beyond in serving our citizens and making North Dakota an even better place to live, work and raise a family. Congratulations to all the award recipients and nominees, and thanks to everyone who nominated their colleagues for their outstanding work.”

The Triple-Play Award was given to the NDPERS Retirement Plan Transition Team for transitioning new state employee hires from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan within an 18-month timeline.

The Prairie Pheasant Flush Award went to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Center for Distance Education (CDE) for collaborating with the National Guard to create a military pathway program after identifying gaps in student military readiness under the K-12 choice-ready framework.

The Backbone Collaboration Award was awarded to North Dakota Parks and Recreation’s Little Missouri State Park Trail Restoration Team for restoring over five miles of abandoned trails, improving park infrastructure, and increasing public confidence.

The Strength from the Soil Award recognized North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s State Wildlife Management Area District Managers for partnering with local livestock producers on managed grazing systems that help restore prairie landscapes, improve nesting cover for birds, and enhance forage diversity.

The Roaming Bison Award honored October Wildfire Unified Command for leading more than 15 agencies in responding to wildfires that burned over 118,000 acres across North Dakota in October 2024, causing millions of dollars in damage.