Demitra (Dee) H. Crayton lived her life to the fullest as a leader with Distinction as a Customer Service and Information Center (CS&IC) Manager, CharMeck 311 Manager and Founding Member and President of the Association of Government Call Center Employees (AGCCE) now Association of Government Contact Center Professionals (AGCCP).

Through her 20 year career in management she focused on teaching and helping others reach new heights, grooming others for leadership roles, unifying teams, developing new ideas and persevering through challenges. These actions contributed to attributes that we honor Dee with by recognizing an individual who strives for excellence in their Contact Centers in the areas of mentorship, leadership, unity, innovation and perseverance.

The 3^rd annual Demitra (Dee) Crayton Award of Excellence recognized Portia Clark from Tuscaloosa, AL as a person who has demonstrated leadership with a heart of unity and service. She exemplified exceptional leadership by bringing together her team, organization and community in a unified effort to provide outstanding service.

About the Award

The AGCCP Award of Excellence recognizes Demitra H. Crayton’s contribution to the Customer Experience universe as a leader, mentor and pioneer in developing customer care professionals equipped with the knowledge to build strong organizations and successful career paths.

Each year, AGCCP recognizes an individual with these characteristics who has contributed to the overall success of their organization through a focus on excellence in service, servant leadership and human connection.

The award honors someone who displays this year’s theme “Triple Crown of Service: Accountability, AI, and Human Connection,” through their achievements in recognizing the evolving work geared toward:

• Accountability – Delivering transparent, dependable, and measurable service.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Leveraging technology to enhance access, speed, and efficiency.
• Human Connection – Creating meaningful, empathetic interactions that build public trust.

Why Nominate/Apply?

The AGCCP Award of Excellence honors an individual who is and has done the work for success through career growth and team development leading to growing the customer care profession to lead strong public sector organizations. Recipients will receive:

• Recognition as a leader and mentor in public sector customer service
• A complimentary conference registration
• A complimentary training opportunity
• A feature spotlight on the AGCCP website and professional network

Most importantly, it is a chance to highlight the incredible work your team is doing to serve your community.

Who Should Apply

The Award of Excellence is open to any individual in the public-sector (city, county, state, and federal) customer care profession who delivers measurable impact, innovation, and exceptional service.

 

Submission Criteria

Please provide information that demonstrates excellence in the following areas aligned with the 2026 theme:

1. Accountability

• Performance metrics for team and individual performance

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Use of innovative technology in coaching and training efforts
• Data-driven decision making in workforce development

3. Human Connection

• Employee engagement, training, and culture
• Customer experience and satisfaction
• Equity and accessibility initiatives

How to Submit

Step 1: Prepare Your Application

Submit a narrative (1–5 pages) that includes:

• Brief overview of your organization and customer care operation
• Career background of the nominee
• Key achievements, initiatives and innovations contributing to team success
• Description of organizational and community impact
• Measurable results and outcomes
• Supporting data, visuals, or examples (optional but encouraged)

Step 2: Complete the Nomination Form

• Access the official 2026 Award of Excellence Nomination Form from our website. Complete all required fields and upload your supporting materials.

Step 3: Submit by the Deadline

• Submission Deadline: August 7, 2026
• Late or incomplete submissions may not be considered.

Step 4: Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by the AGCCP Awards Committee based the criteria:

• Alignment with the 2026 theme
• Innovation and best practices in leadership and development
• Measurable impact on the team, organization, community and customer care profession

Judges Panel

This is a blind-judging process. All references to names and locations will be redacted by the Award Committee chair before the judges' review and voting. The five-member judging panel consists of:

• 3 AGCCP Board Members
• The 2025 Award of Excellence Recipient

Submission Timeline

• Applications Open - April 20, 2026
• Submission Deadline - August 7, 2026
• Review Period - August 8-23, 2026
• Recipient Notified - The week of August 24, 2026
• Recipient Announcement - At the Annual Conference (October 5-8, 2026)

Questions?

For questions or additional information, please contact: Stephanie Brown, Award of Excellence Committee Chair at stephanie.brown@como.gov, 573-874-7316.

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Congratulations Portia Clark! Recipient of the 2025 Dee Crayton Award of Excellence! 

    
About Portia

Portia Clark is the 311 Call Center Manager for the City of Tuscaloosa, where she leads a high-performing team dedicated to delivering exceptional resident service. Under her leadership, 311 achieved record service levels, expanded its data-driven reporting, strengthened quality assurance practices, and launched creative recognition programs such as the annual Tuskie Awards.

Portia also led the development of the City’s Storm Mode — a strategic service prioritization initiative during severe weather events, advanced cross-department customer service partnerships, and elevated staff engagement through innovative huddles, coaching, and culture-building initiatives.

 

She is the 2025 recipient of AGCCP’s Award of Excellence and is committed to shaping high-quality, human-centered customer care across government. Portia is honored to serve on the AGCCP Board and support the growth and collaboration of public-sector contact center professionals.

Congratulations Brittany Swartz! Recipient of the 2024 Dee Crayton Award of Excellence! 

About Brittany
Brittany has been a dedicated employee of the Baldwin County Commission for the past 7 years. 

•As an advocate of mentorship and unity, Brittany meets people “where they are” on a personal
level. She learns about them in-depth so she can map their personal journey to success. Because
of her ability to unite, she became an unprompted primary contact for managers and employees
as issues arise in their department.

•Brittany is also a natural leader. She displays a genuine passion for her work and is able to
effortlessly expose greatness in employees by actively listening then taking their thoughts and
turning them into action. She constantly strives to find new opportunities for employees. She
coordinated a partnership with a local community college for training blue-collar workers. 50
employees have completed over 1250 hours of equipment training, allowing these employees to attain new skills and certifications for promotional opportunities.

•Classes such as Public Speaking and Writing for Success have provided undereducated employees with an opportunity for success. With 25 training classes available, many of which are custom created, over the past year, she has doubled employee training hours from 1200 to 3000 hours and attendance almost tripled from 350 to over 1000.

•Brittany’s humble dedication and leadership to the service of the County's employees’ careers and personal growth makes the Baldwin County Commission a better place. She recognizes that
successful and happy employees impact the overall organization when it comes to customer
service, which in turn serves the community as a whole.

Read More . . .

Congratulations Renee Hawsey! Recipient of the Inaugural 2023 Dee Crayton Award of Excellence! 

About Renee

Renee Hawsey currently serves as the Administrator of Motor Vehicle and Tags for the Baldwin County Probate Judge’s Office. With more than 18 years of service to the department, she began her career assisting citizens at the counter and has since advanced through multiple leadership roles. In her current position, she oversees the Licensing Division, which includes both the License Revenue staff and the Probate Call Center, totaling more than 40 employees. Each year, the Licensing Division processes approximately 380,000 motor vehicle transactions, while the Call Center handles over 100,000 contacts through phone, email, and text.

 

Renee is the recipient of the inaugural Dee Crayton Award of Excellence. Since that time, she’s been involved with AGCCP and has found great value in the organization.

 

Renee believes leadership is about influence, not position. She strives to create an environment where people feel valued, supported, and encouraged to grow. Her focus is on fostering open communication and trust, ensuring that her team feels empowered to learn, collaborate, and succeed, both professionally and personally. Beyond her role with the county, in 2021 Renee helped formed a nonprofit organization, called DASH Foundation of Baldwin County, that focuses on helping families in her community who are facing medical hardships. She currently serves as President of the board. Renee lives in Baldwin County, AL, with her husband and two boys.