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Nominate A Hero

Hero
Friend
Mentor
Team
Yourself

This is your opportunity to spotlight someone and thank them for their Hero-Grade impact.

Share Your Gratitude - Nominate Now!

Introducing the Hero Awards

Our Nominate a Hero program has evolved into the Hero Awards, in collaboration with the with the ENGAGE Awards.

Now featuring 10 new categories designed to recognize even more individuals, along with entire agencies, user groups, and teams for their incredible work!

Group Awards

Power User Award

A team or user group that leverages CentralSquare’s tools and features to its fullest potential

Digital Transformation Award

A team or user group that has embraced modernization to transform its operations

Innovation in Action

A group that has developed creative solutions, making a positive impact in its community

Customer Voice Award

An agency or user group whose feedback and collaboration has shaped CentralSquare’s product design or user experience

Collective Impact Award

A customer or user group that exemplifies strong collaboration and partnership

Individual Awards

911 Excellence Award

An individual whose dedication and performance in first response go above and beyond

Community Champion Award

An individual who has made a lasting, positive impact on their community

Mentor Award

An individual who leads, uplifts, and guides others through their example and support

Stand Together Award

An individual whose attitude and determination inspires others around them to make a positive impact

Lifetime Achievement Award

An individual who has dedicated their livelihood to serving and helping others

What Hero Honorees Will Receive

FREE TICKET to ENGAGE 2027: our biggest customer event of the year

Register Now for ENGAGE 2027

An exclusive Hero-Grade challenge coin

Personalized social media kit to share with your audience

Personalized social media kit to share with your audience

New onsite activations for award recipients at ENGAGE 2027

+ More! Stay Tuned!

The History of Nominate a Hero

In 2025-2026, you helped nominate more than 140 Hero-Grade customers, each recognized for their unique contributions to their community, whether in local government or public safety.

Of these nominees, we were thrilled to award over 20 outstanding customers with the Nominate a Hero award.

Meet our Nominate a Hero Honorees:

Heidi Johnston

Heidi Johnston

Heidi went above and beyond by helping guide her agency through a project involving 10 neighboring law enforcement agencies. Her dedication and positive mindset helped build a stronger communication structure that improved public safety services across her community.

Doris Ho

Doris Ho

What makes Doris truly exceptional is not just what she delivers, but how she delivers it — with determination and a collaborative spirit that lifts everyone around her. Her steady presence and thoughtful approach make a real difference in the work she does and the people she supports.

Gary Taylor

Gary Taylor

Gary serves his community with unwavering determination. He shows up every day for the people around him, bringing strength and hope to his agency and the community he serves.

Madilynn Taylor

Madilynn Taylor

At just 20 years old, Madilynn is fully signed off as a dispatcher for law enforcement, fire, and EMS. She brings calm to chaos, offering reassurance on every call and strengthening emergency response for her team and community.

Herman President

Herman President

Herman played a critical role as the technical lead during Tulsa’s EAM implementation. Through his tireless dedication, he helped guide the transition to a more modern, efficient way of working, leaving a lasting impact on his team and agency. 

Michael Mansdoerfer

Michael Mansdoerfer

Michael delivered the extraordinary by securing the largest grant funding for his agency, opening the door to advanced technology that transformed its capabilities and broadened its impact. With a strong focus on team and community, he leads in a way that creates lasting change.

Marcus Montgomery

Marcus Montgomery

Marcus continuously goes above and beyond to help residents in his community. Marcus resolves any issue he’s faced with, always putting his community first in his decision-making. He inspires others in his department to continue to rise to any challenge and deliver lifesaving service.

Elizabeth Wilson

Elizabeth Wilson

Captain Wilson sets the bar at her fire department by always giving 100% to her teammates and residents. Through her professionalism and compassion, she inspires everyone around her to put their community first.

Chief Brown constantly rises to the challenge while being humble, collaborative, and solution oriented. He bridges gaps between responders, leadership, and system administrators – improving overall dispatch coordination and interoperability.

Brandy Kidwell

Brandy Kidwell

Brandy goes above and beyond to bring together seven agencies together through her meticulous communications center management. She takes ownership and encourages constant collaboration across the 7 agencies she works with.

Raymond Gatza

Raymond Gatza

Sergeant Gatza stepped up to serve his community as the Law Enforcement Project Lead across 6 police departments. He continues to go above and beyond his assigned responsibilities, strengthening cross-agency coordination and protecting his community.

Suzanne Linton

Suzanne Linton

Suzanne’s leadership at her municipality has helped modernize technology, improve cybersecurity, and protect the critical systems that support Police, Fire, Utilities, and Emergency Management. Through her strong leadership, she builds a stronger community and improves resident experience.

Belinda McGhie

Belinda McGhie

Belinda displays exceptional leadership and commitment to her agency, significantly reducing staffing challenges on the 911 team and creating an environment that excites people to go to work every day.

Chief Thomas Brown

Chief Thomas Brown

Recognized for his resilience while enduring unimaginable hardship, and his fervent dedication to suicide and mental health awareness, inspiring others to around him to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

Kyle Thaggard

Kyle Thaggard

Recognized for his leadership and resilience through difficult staffing challenges and continuous advocacy for his staff – inspiring others around him to strive to make change.

Chief Cameron Wassman

Chief Cameron Wassman

Chief Wassman is recognized as a true leader who is always willing to listen to others and support his team, showcasing the importance of kindness and standing together to serve others.

Daniel Menard

Daniel Menard

With almost two decades of service, Daniel is recognized as someone who continuously goes above and beyond his duties to support his team and community.

Read More
Deanna Kahl Lundberg

Deanna Kahl Lundberg

Deanna is recognized for being the backbone to her community and someone who lives by “be kind”, always going above and beyond to strengthen her small-town community

Sean Kennedy

Sean Kennedy

As a dispatcher, Sean uses his courage and expertise to act proactively and help save lies – reminding us how vital dispatchers are as the first line of defense in first responders

Russ St. Myers

Russ St. Myers

Russ makes significant contributions to his community through his resilience and dedication, across critical moments from a CAD rebuild to physically building a communications center.

Meet Our Employee Heroes:

Hailie Tennell

Hailie Tennell

Hailie brings a rare kind of presence, the kind that steadies people, lifts them up, and makes a real difference.

Nominate a Hero for the

Hero Award: ENGAGE 2027

Nominations Now Open!

We’re excited to give even more individuals, agencies, and teams the chance to be recognized.

Nominations for the new Hero Awards are now open.

Deadline for submissions: February 19
Recipients will be chosen on a bi-annual basis.


Built for Your Mission

Mission-critical work calls for hero-grade tools. Learn how we can help your agency do more.

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CentralSquare Technologies is the trusted provider of public sector software in North America. More than 8,000 agencies rely on our comprehensive, cloud-based platform to manage critical operations – from dispatch to records, permitting to payroll. We serve with purpose and stand together with our heroes, committed to supporting the public sector with software built for impact.

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