Ripley Jason Koester Honored with Oklahoma Governor Disability Employment Awards of Excellence

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Sixteen individuals from across the state, five employers and two prominent media outlets were honored during the annual “Governor’s Disability Employment Awards of Excellence” recently held at the Phillips Pavilion on the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion in Oklahoma City. KOCO-TV Channel 5 Anchor Paul Folger emceed the event.

Originally created by former Governor and First Lady George and Donna Nigh 29 years ago, the awards recognize individuals with disabilities with a Governor’s commendation for “Outstanding Achievements in Employment.” One of this year’s winners included Ripley, Oklahoma’s Jason Koester, who received his award from Oklahoma Central Technology Center Employment Training Specialist Shawna Shadowen. She said she nominated Koester for the award because of his two years of success as a cart pusher at a local Wal-Mart.

“Since Jason Koester started working, he has become more responsible and he is now able to stay home alone and take care of the house and farm animals while his parents go on trips out of town,” she said. “He’s able to go and do more things independently and isn’t quite as shy as he used to be. He seems to be very confident in himself and the things he does.”

She said Koester started as a cart pusher, after less than a year of employment, he has become the lead cart pusher and is now training all of the new employees in that department. He was also recently named “Employee of the Month.” Outside of work, Koester is very involved in rodeos, does a lot of roping and he recently competed in the Perkins Rodeo.

“Jason is a wonderful person to be around and is very well-liked and appreciated at his job,” Shadowen said. “He is hardworking and takes pride in what he does, whether at work or in the rodeo arena.”

The Governor’s Disability Employment Awards of Excellence competition and program is co-sponsored by the Governor’s Office, the Oklahoma DHS Developmental Disabilities Services, the Oklahoma DRS and the Oklahoma Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst. Award winners are annually selected by a panel of public servants and volunteers who either serve people with disabilities or represent organizations that provide direct care for them daily.

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Jason Koester receives an Oklahoma Governor’s Disability Employment Award of Excellence.