Office of the Secretary

Harper recognized with Service Award

Robert Harper DNR Undersecretary

The Louisiana Civil Service League has recognized the service of state Department of Natural Resources Undersecretary Robert Harper in making him one of the chosen few honorees of its annual Monte M. Lemann Award this year.

The Lemann Award is presented each year to individuals outside the classified civil service system who have made major contributions to the advancement of the merit system of public employment in the state of Louisiana.

The ceremony, held at a Thursday luncheon in New Orleans, marked the 43rd year of the award its inception in 1965. Of all the unclassified state workers and members of state and local Civil Service boards and commissions in Louisiana, an average of less than five a year are honored with the award, and Harper was one of only five this year.

Harper worked for two decade as a budget analyst for the state Division of Administration before moving to Natural Resources as undersecretary in 1992.

He has served in that capacity under the terms of four different governors.

During his years working as a budget analyst – overseeing the budgets of several state agencies, including the Louisiana Department of State Civil Service – Harper played a key role in getting money for a new pay system and automating many Civil Service department functions.

Since beginning his years of service with Natural Resources, Harper worked to help Civil Service launch its first web site and offered strong advice in improving the state Civil Service system, then backed that advice by getting support from other departments for his suggestions.

“Bob Harper is a long-serving and extremely humble public servant, and we as a department and as a state are lucky to have him,” said state Natural Resources Department Secretary Scott Angelle. “He is not one to put himself forward, so to see him honored in this way is a testament to the value of the work he has done, above and beyond what has been called for in his job description, to benefit the people of the state and his fellow state employees.”

The state’s two largest newspapers – The Times-Picayune and The Advocate – also noted the ceremony with articles on Harper and his fellow honorees.

Other honorees this year were New Orleans Police Department Assistant Superintendent Marlon Defillo, state Civil Service Commission member G. Lee Griffin of Baton Rouge, Plaquemines Parish Civil Service Commission member Boyd Mothe Jr. of Belle Chasse and Mandeville Municipal Employees Civil Service Board member Merlin Villar.