Energy

DNR's Mike French honored by Civil Service League

Mike French, DNR Technology Assessment Division Director Receives Dunbar Award - Certificate of Merit 2009

Civil Service Director Anne Soileau presents Mike French Merit Award at honor's luncheon in New Orleans, January 30, 2009

The Louisiana Civil Service League honored Department of Natural Resources Technology Assessment Division Director Mike French today with a Certificate of Merit at the League’s 50th Annual Dunbar Awards luncheon in New Orleans.

French was one of 12 classified state employees so honored, in addition to 12 who received the Dunbar award for 2008, out of more than 60,000 state civil service workers.

The Dunbar Award is the highest honor classified state employees can receive for their service to the citizens of Louisiana.  The Civil Service League bestows the award on local, state and municipal civil service employees who distinguish themselves through unselfish service to the citizens of Louisiana.  Nominees are judged on commitment to the classified service, contributions toward workplace improvement, personal initiative, and volunteer community service.

The award is named after the founder of the League, Charles E. Dunbar, Jr., who is responsible for spearheading the effort to establish a classified workforce that would be governed through merit system principles.

The League noted that the Certificates of Merit were awarded this year because of how close the 12 receiving the Certificates came to winning the Dunbar award.

French has worked for 28 years in the Department and serves as the principal energy advisor to DNR Secretary Scott Angelle.  His many accomplishments during his career in state government include initiating a proposal and developing procedures that changed how the state collected natural gas severance tax to allow the state to benefit from the rising price of natural gas.  This change has netted the state approximately $1.4 billion in additional revenue since 1990. Later in the 1990s, French his staff alerted the state to a possible legislative change that led to increased state revenues by $50 million in a single year.  He received a letter of commendation from Governor Mike Foster.

French also volunteered as a Boy Scout leader for 17 years, serving as assistant scoutmaster and chaplain.  He is now involved in Christian outreach activities, including being a leader in various men's spiritual retreats such as Men's Discovery Weekend and men's fellowship outings, and going on foreign missionary trips.  On a 2006 mission trip, he helped build a church in a rural mountain village in Mexico.  Last year, he traveled to the remote Darien Jungle of Panama where he helped build four new churches in the jungle.  Next year, he is off to Peru to do more good works.

“Both on the job and off, Mike French is a credit to this Department and this state,” Angelle said. “His ability to process data and turn it into useful information and action have been invaluable in our work to maintain the balance between providing energy for the state and nation and ensuring that the people of the state benefit from the use of natural resources without sacrificing the environment.”