The Best Bakery, Best Bike Shop, Best Burger, Best Ice Cream, and so on. We have all seen these types of lists before. These are a few of the samplings in the most recent edition of SWVA Living Magazine and their Reader’s Choice Awards. This same edition also identifies the choice for the Best Firefighter and Best Law Enforcement Officer, and we have a few of our own to spotlight who have been recognized. First, the bakery–Our Daily Bread and Bistro, the bike shop–Cardinal Bicycle, the burger–Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint, and ice cream–Blue Cow Ice Cream, Co.
Best Firefighter
In this category, we actually get to recognize two of the top three–gold and bronze! The top pick, the gold medal winner–Kevin Bradbury! Kevin is a First Lieutenant, currently assigned to Fire-EMS Station 2. Kevin joined the Roanoke Fire Department in March of 1999, and among his many other duties, also serves on the Regional Hazmat Team. Kevin’s most notable claim to fame is, of course, being married to Tiffany Bradbury, our recent Community Engagement Manager, and is now serving in a similar capacity for Botetourt County. Congrats and way to go Kevin!
Third on the list–the bronze medal winner–David Guynn! David is a Deputy Chief with the Department, having previously served as the Fire Marshal. David first worked for Roanoke from 2007 through 2010, before leaving to further his education. He was hired back in November of 2018 as Fire Marshal and was promoted to Deputy Chief in January of this year. Congrats and way to go David!
Best Law Enforcement Officer
The bronze medal winner (though to be fair, she is a gold medal winner to us!) is Kimber Hughes! Kimber is homegrown–a graduate of Patrick Henry High, who joined RPD in 2015 and currently serves as a Detective. A true shining star, Detective Hughes has been honored for her work a few times. In 2019, she received a Merit Award and was named Roanoke Regional Chamber Officer of the Year in 2019 for quick thinking and a cool demeanor, resulting in saving someone who was suffering a life-threatening mental health crisis. Currently, Detective Hughes is working some of the most challenging cases in RPD, including two recent homicides, both resulting in arrests of suspects–in one instance receiving a Letter of Commendation for her work. Congrats and way to go Kimber!
So, there you have it the best among the best–right here in our own organization. Thanks to SWVA Living Magazine for celebrating these public servants and for those that voted them into the winning positions. We celebrate these three for this accomplishment while also acknowledging the great work their more than 1,600 co-workers do, right alongside each of them. Well done!
-- Bob Cowell