Utica Rotary Opens Nominations for Inspiring Workmanship Awards
Community members have a chance to recognize the employees whose dedication, professionalism and everyday effort often happen without public attention.
By Dawn LaGuerre
UTICA, N.Y. | The Utica Rotary Pride of Workmanship Awards are returning this fall, giving local employers and organizations an opportunity to recognize the people who quietly make their workplaces better every day. Nominations for the 2026 awards are now open, and I strongly encourage local businesses, nonprofits and organizations to think about the hardworking people whose contributions deserve to be celebrated.
This award holds a personal meaning for my family. My husband, David LaGuerre, received a Pride of Workmanship Award several years ago. I remember how much that recognition meant to him and how proud our family was to see his dedication acknowledged by the community.
That experience is one reason I hope people will take the time to nominate someone this year.
What Is the Pride of Workmanship Award?
The Rotary Club of Utica describes the Pride of Workmanship Awards as recognition for workers who show exceptional commitment, professionalism, creativity, enthusiasm and initiative in their jobs. The program focuses on employees whose work makes a positive difference to the businesses and organizations they serve.
The program has been part of Utica Rotary’s community work since 1990. That means the club has been recognizing outstanding local employees for more than three decades.
The award’s philosophy is summed up in its motto:
“Do it once, do it well. Build a better future.”
It is a simple idea, but an important one.
Good work matters.
Showing up matters.
Helping coworkers matters.
Taking pride in doing something correctly, even when nobody is watching, matters.
And sometimes the people who make the biggest difference inside an organization are not the people whose names appear at the top of the organizational chart.
2026 Utica Rotary Nominations Are Now Open
The Rotary Club of Utica has confirmed through its social media channels that its 2026 Pride of Workmanship nomination forms are now available. The organization is asking businesses and community organizations to consider the “unsung heroes” in their workplaces who deserve recognition.
Rotary’s July 2026 newsletter also confirms that the award program is moving forward this year. Pride of Workmanship Chair Joe Abraham wrote that the awards ceremony will be held in mid-to-late October and will honor people working below the management level at businesses and organizations throughout the Utica area.
Abraham described the recipients as workplace “unsung heroes.”
That description captures exactly why this program deserves more community attention.
Who Makes a Strong Pride of Workmanship Nominee?
Rotary says the awards recognize employees who demonstrate qualities such as:
- Outstanding competence and consistent effort
- Commitment to their employer
- Commitment to coworkers and teamwork
- Professionalism
- Creativity
- Enthusiasm and initiative
- A willingness to go beyond the basic job description
- Pride in doing their work well
The emphasis is not necessarily on someone’s title.
In fact, Rotary’s 2026 newsletter specifically describes the program as recognizing workers below the management level.
That means employers should look beyond the executive offices.
Think about the administrative assistant who keeps an office running.
Think about the maintenance worker who notices problems before anyone else does.
Think about the nursing assistant who treats every patient with dignity.
Think about the school employee who knows which child is having a difficult day.
Think about the restaurant worker customers ask for by name.
Think about the employee who trains new coworkers without being asked.
Those are often the people whose work becomes so dependable that everyone begins to take it for granted.
This award gives us an opportunity not to take them for granted.
Why Workplace Recognition Matters
Awards alone cannot create a healthy workplace, and recognition should never replace fair wages, good benefits, safe working conditions or respectful treatment.
That is an important distinction.
But meaningful recognition can still matter.
When a community honors someone for doing his or her job with integrity and dedication, it sends a message that everyday excellence has value.
That was certainly true in our household.
When my husband David received the Pride of Workmanship Award several years ago, it was more than another certificate or plaque. It represented recognition of his work, effort and commitment.
It was an honor.
It was an achievement.
And it was a moment our family remembered.
That personal experience is why I believe employers should seriously consider participating in this year’s nominations.
Look for the Person Who Rarely Gets the Applause
Every workplace seems to have someone who makes things work.
Sometimes that person has been there for decades.
Sometimes the person is relatively new.
They may never ask for recognition. They may not even realize how much their coworkers depend on them.
They simply do their jobs.
But excellence should not become invisible simply because it is consistent.
One of the strengths of the Utica Rotary Pride of Workmanship Awards is that the program turns the spotlight toward those workers.
Utica Rotary’s July newsletter calls the awards a tradition dating back decades and says the program recognizes unsung heroes from organizations and businesses throughout the Utica area.
That makes this more than an awards luncheon.
It is also a reminder of how a community is built.
A Tradition Dating Back to 1990
According to the Rotary Club of Utica, the Pride of Workmanship program has recognized outstanding employees since 1990.
Over those years, the workplaces of the Mohawk Valley have changed dramatically. Technology has changed. Industries have changed. Some businesses have closed while others have opened.
Yet one thing has remained remarkably consistent.
Organizations still depend on people willing to take responsibility for doing their work well.
The Pride of Workmanship Awards recognize that basic principle.
Rotary’s broader mission also focuses on service and community involvement. In its 2026 materials, club leadership has stressed the idea of creating a lasting impact through the contributions of individual members and the community working together.
Workplace excellence fits naturally into that idea.
How to Nominate Someone
The Rotary Club of Utica has made its 2026 Pride of Workmanship nomination forms available through the club’s Pride of Workmanship program page.
The club’s official website is the best source for the current nomination form and updated program information.
At the time of publication, Rotary’s current materials confirmed that the awards program will take place in October. The precise 2026 ceremony date and nomination deadline were not consistently available across the public materials I could independently verify, so readers should check the current Rotary nomination form before submitting.
That is especially important because deadlines and event details can change.
Before submitting a nomination, consider these questions:
- Does this person consistently perform their job well?
- Do coworkers depend on them?
- Do they demonstrate professionalism and initiative?
- Do they help make their workplace better?
- Do they regularly go beyond what is expected?
- Would their dedication otherwise go largely unnoticed?
If the answer to several of those questions is yes, you may already know someone worth nominating.
Give Someone Their Moment
Recognition can be powerful because it tells a person something we too often wait too long to say:
We see what you do.
There are people throughout Utica and the Mohawk Valley who arrive at work every day, solve problems, help coworkers, serve customers and keep organizations running without expecting applause.
Somebody knows who those people are.
A supervisor knows.
A coworker knows.
A customer knows.
And this fall, the Rotary Club of Utica is offering the community another opportunity to make sure some of those people receive the recognition they deserve.
Having seen firsthand what receiving this honor meant to my husband, I encourage employers and organizations to participate.
Take a few minutes.
Think about the person in your workplace who consistently goes the extra mile.
Then nominate them.
Sometimes a simple act of recognition becomes a memory that lasts for years.
