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2008 Legislative Staff Achievement Award Honorees

Research and Committee Staff Section

August 5, 2008

RACSS is pleased to announce that Jamie Jo Franklin of Kentucky and Terry Sullivan of North Carolina have been selected as the RACSS recipients of the 2008 Legislative Staff Achievement Award.  Both are career public servants for their state legislatures and have provided excellent guidance and leadership for RACSS.  Former RACSS chair Mary Janicki of Connecticut chaired this year's Awards Committee, aided by  Karl Aro of Maryland, and Mike Nugent of Idaho.

The Legislative Staff Achievement Award was established by the LSCC in 1997 to allow each of the ten staff sections to recognize members for their legislative careers and for their work on behalf of the staff section.  Staff sections may recognize up to two members each year.  For RACSS, the award is presented to members who have:

Below are the award statements for Jamie and Terry.  On behalf of the Awards Committee, RACSS Executive Committee and RACSS members, we thank them for their work for RACSS and their legislatures.

Jamie Jo Franklin, Chief of Staff
House Majority Caucus, Kentucky

Jamie Jo Franklin has spent her entire professional career in service to the citizens of Kentucky.  She started as a city manager and then worked as a legislative liaison and policy analyst for an executive branch agency before joining the Legislative Research Commission as an analyst in 1981. She served as committee staff administrator for the Local Government Committee from 1986 to 2007, when she was became chief of staff for the House Majority Caucus.

Jamie has been active in NCSL and RACSS for many years.  She has been a stalwart for the staff section, serving on the RACSS Executive Committee from 2002 to 2007 and as RACSS Chair for 2005-2006.  Jamie helped plan staff section programs and served both as a speaker and moderator for numerous RACSS sessions.  The energy and vision she brought to her leadership of RACSS resulted in better professional development opportunities for legislative staff in all states and territories 

Jamie currently serves on the NCSL Executive Committee and has been a staunch advocate for expanded legislative staff services from NCSL.  In recognition of her public service, Jamie was chosen as a Toll Fellow Leadership class by CSG in 2000 and is a 2002 graduate of the Legislative Staff Management Institute. 

RACSS takes great pleasure in honoring Jamie Franklin with the Legislative Staff Achievement Award in recognition of her steadfast support, counsel and friendship.

Terry Sullivan, Director  (retired)
Division of Research, North Carolina

Terry Sullivan is the recently retired director of research for the North Carolina General Assembly.  He was instrumental in establishing and enhancing legislative research services for the General Assembly.  When he started in 1972, fresh out of law school, Terry was one of a two-person research office.  He became director of research in 1979 and served in that capacity until he retired in 2008.  By then, the office had grown to include 45 staff, 30 of them legislative attorneys and policy analysts.

Terry's lifelong public service and evenhanded approach have earned him the respect of members of both parties, as well as his legislative staff colleagues.  With modesty, fairness and a commitment to nonpartisanship, Terry served the General Assembly and the people of North Carolina with distinction.  As a mark of the esteem in which he is held in the state, he was named "Tar Heel of the Week" by the Raleigh News and Observer upon his retirement.

Terry's involvement in NCSL included service on the standing committees and as RACSS officer, serving as a member of the executive committee, program planner and newsletter coordinator.  He participated in numerous RACSS programs and supported the involvement of his staff in RACSS' professional development opportunities.

It is with great pleasure that RACSS honors Terry Sullivan, a gentleman, a scholar, and a friend, with the Legislative Staff Achievement Award.