Utah's Julie Rupp Felice, CPM, Selected as
2009 Henning Award Recipient

It is a true honor to receive national recognition from your peers for career achievements, as well as organizational and community service. The Academy’s Henning Award for outstanding contribution to public management is one such recognition. Presented annually, the Henning is the Academy’s most prestigious and distinguished award. It recognizes one active Academy Fellow whose career accomplishments; leadership; and service to the Academy, Society, and the community at large evidence the most outstanding application of the CPM philosophy.

The Henning award was inaugurated by the Academy in the late 1980s and was named in honor of Kenneth K. Henning, one of our Academy’s heroes. His dedication and belief in improving public service remains a legacy that the Academy is proud to honor annually with the presentation of the Henning Award.

The selection of one Academy Fellow who has made the greatest contribution was a difficult task because of the outstanding service and achievements of the nine AACPM fellows nominated for consideration by their societies:

The field of candidates was very competitive; however, one individual – Julie Rupp Felice of Utah – stood out. Members of the Henning Award Committee were unanimous in their blind scoring and ranking of the nominees’ contributions. Gail Gibson, Henning Committee Chair and 2008 award winner, announced the 2009 selection as the last activity of the annual awards banquet. In front of peers, friends, and colleagues, Gail presented the Henning trophy bowl to an emotionally charged Julie Rupp Felice. Julie’s eloquent acceptance speech acknowledged the pioneer heritage, deep faith, and supporting cast that have influenced her life journey and sustains her ever-forward movement.

Julie’s achievements are many. Since 2006, she has served as the Director of Radiation Safety and Radiation Safety Officer for two medical license facilities and a medical facility that utilizes X-ray equipment. She is responsible for licenses and X-ray machine registration compliance with state regulations. The oversight and management that she provides ensures the safety of those who need an X-ray machine and all those who work around it. As a Health Physicist, she devoted 17 years of service to Utah citizens and was acknowledged for her contributions to building communities of excellence in state government.

Julie earned the CPM credential in 1997. She was given a “White Hat Award” (Department Customer Service Award) by the Department of Environmental Quality, received the Division Service Award for exemplary customer service to internal and external customers, and was recognized for her outstanding contribution to four successful federal reviews of the state’s radiation control program which received the highest grade given by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In 2002, the Governor of Utah appointed Julie to the Board of Directors for the State Employees Charitable Fund. In 2005, she was named as its Vice President, a most appropriate honor – she actively engages in serving others with a kind, considerate, and willing heart.

Among many others, her innovations and contributions to management included establishing increased controls for certain quantities of radioactive materials; writing a policy to address homeland security issues, fingerprinting, and criminal background checks; writing radioactive material license applications within the region; and being responsible for the development, implementation, and compliance of a newly-created regional radiation safety program.

She served the Utah Society as President-Elect, President, and Past President. She was elected to two consecutive two-year terms as AACPM Secretary and a one-year term as AACPM President-Elect. Julie has worked diligently on numerous society and national committees and has represented both the Utah Society of Certified Public Managers ® and the Academy Board of Directors at the House of Delegates meetings since 1998.

Julie believes that providing community service is a way of life. Among her many acts of service, she volunteered for science teacher workshops taught to enhance Utah’s secondary school science core curriculum; trained as a community emergency response team member for a disaster preparedness program; and acted as neighborhood coordinator for many charitable organizations. Julie is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Throughout her lifetime Julie has exhibited continual, selfless and exceptional service and leadership to her community, profession, Society, and Academy.

Julie Rupp Felice, 20th recipient of this annual award, will serve as Chair of the 2010 Henning Award Committee and will present the Henning trophy to another outstanding CPM at the awards banquet next October in Oklahoma City.

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