The Art Fuston Award was established in 1989 in memory and in honor of Art Fuston for the exemplarily leadership he demonstrated in the effort to establish TALWD.  As such, the award is given annually to a TALWD member that has demonstrated exemplarily leadership and dedicated service to TALWD.

Criteria:

• Nominees must be a member of TALWD
  
• Nominees must have made significant contributions to the Texas Association of Local WIC Directors and the Texas WIC Program
  
• This award identifies the time, expertise, and knowledge contributed by this Director to the Association
  
• It also identifies a Director who has played a major role in the operations of TALWD          
  
• Nominations must include documentation of contributions and services to TALWD

The TALWD Customer Service Award is to be awarded to an employee of the Texas State WIC Agency that has provided outstanding customer services in the course of performing their job while assisting the organization and it’s members in carrying out the details of daily WIC business. The recipient of this award cannot be a branch manager or a member of upper management.

Criteria:

• Work for DSHS, Nutrition Services Section, 100% WIC

• Interact regularly with the local agency staff

• Hold a staff position, not a Unit Manager or Section Chief
  

Possible parameters are:

• Responds to local agency questions in a timely manner and helps resolve problems to the satisfaction of the local agency staff
  
• Is knowledgeable about WIC policies and adheres to those policies
  
• Understands local agency concerns, listens non-judgmentally to the local agency issues
  
• Is courteous and professional. This person does not discuss one local agency with another local agency
• This person is knowledgeable but willing to refer or transfer problems and questions to another person if he/she cannot address them