Today, we give nods to these community leaders who come from across the region.
Sean Casey
Occupation: Maryland National Guard
Home: Baltimore
Achievement: Col. Sean Casey is the new deputy chief of staff for operations with the Maryland National Guard. In his new position, Casey will be in charge of the training of the 1,300 Maryland Guardsmen. A Towson University graduate, Casey has served 29 years in the military, most notably as a flight leader with the U.S. Air Force’s Europe Elite Guard. Casey is being promoted from commander of the 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which he led during a year-long deployment in Iraq last year.
“We could see the positive effects of our presence in Iraq, and I believe we made a difference.”
Lorraine Williams
Occupation: Volunteer
Home: Annapolis
Achievement: Williams became Arundel Habitat for Humanity’s 100th homeowner Aug. 9 after completing classes and providing volunteer service. Her new home on Clay Street, where her family once lived, is now part of a revitalization effort. The house she was previously living in had an infestation of mold, giving her son bronchitis.
“I’m going back home; my roots are from Clay Street.”
Steven Gorrick Sr.
Occupation: Operator of Broad Creek II Water Treatment Plant
Home: Anne Arundel
Achievement: Gorrick became the first Anne Arundel water treatment operator since 1971 to be recognized by the American Water Works Association-Chesapeake region as Plant Operator of the Year. A 30-year veteran, Gorrick has gotten 33 percent more water above the plant’s specification, and has brought other plants up to speed three times as fast as normal. County officials praised Gorrick for producing more water while cutting costs. The Broad Creek Plant serves central Anne Arundel.
Charles Whittington
Occupation: Maryland National Guard
Home: Gurnee, Ill.
Achievement: Col. Charles Whittington is the new commander of the Maryland National Guard’s 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, one of only two dozen brigade combat teams in the National Guard. Whittington flies to Maryland from Illinois for his one-weekend-a-month training, as well as the annual training required for all Guardsmen. As commander, Whittington is in charge of the brigade’s training and operations. The brigade recently returned from Iraq, and provided oversight and support for a major international military base in Baghdad.
Samantha O’Neil
Occupation: Healthy Howard coordinator
Home: Howard County
Achievement: O’Neil is head of the Healthy Howard program, an initiative aimed at improving health care for Howard County residents. The program recently entered into a partnership with Thunder Hill Elementary School in Columbia by hosting health events at the school and handing out health-related material to students and parents. The school will be testing grounds for the county’s Healthy Homes campaign. The partnership was formalized recently in Annapolis.
