Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 3-12-21

Feature
Sr. Executive Aide Is Recipient Of Coveted City Award
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
For more than three decades, one City of Tampa employee has served as an ex- ample to others. Last Tuesday, Mrs. Walker became the re- cipient of the Josephine Howard Stafford Memo- rial Award.
During her tenure with the City of Tampa, Mrs. Walker has been retained by the last six Chiefs of Police. She has been the Senior Executive Aide to the Chiefs of Police for 29 years. She was hired after Chief A. C. McLane and his Senior Administrative Aide, Mrs. Irene Miller, also re- tired.
Former Chief Eduardo Gonzalez was appointed as Chief and Mrs. Walker was hired as his Administrative Aide. The other Chiefs to fol- low were: Bennie Holder, Stephen Hogue, Jane Cas- tor, Eric Ward, and current Chief Brian Dugan.
Mrs. Walker said, “I feel really blessed to have been se- lected by the Women’s His- tory Committee and Mayor Jane Castor, to receive the 2021 Josephine Howard Stafford Award. There are
Mrs. Ida Walker, second from left, is shown with Chief Brian Dugan, left, Mayor Jane Castor, and retired Chief Eric Ward at the presentation of the coveted Josephine Howard Stafford Memorial Award. The award was presented at Gas Light Park, in downtown Tampa. (Photography by BRUNSON).
personal battles with breast cancer into an amazing story of living life with grace and gratitude.
She is a member of several professional organizations, a community volunteer, and ac- tive in her church.
Mrs. Walker is married to retired HCSO Sgt. Jimi Walker, a mother, and a grandmother.
The Josephine Howard Stafford Award
The Josephine Howard Stafford Memorial Award was created to honor
a current or former City of Tampa female employee who demonstrates outstanding commitment to her position and the community. It is pre- sented in memory of Josephine Howard Stafford, who served as an Assistant City Attorney for 24 years, during Women’s His- tory Month.
Stafford was the first fe- male Judge in Hillsborough County and a pioneer for women’s issues, both profes- sionally and in the commu- nity.
so many people, including Ms. Stafford, who have been positive influences in my professional, personal, and/or spiritual development.
“This award represents each of them who have poured (into me) seeds of inspiration with their: time, leadership, training, mentorship, prayers, and volunteer opportunities; so that I could do the same for others in the community.”
Mayor Jane Castor said, “Ida's character tran-
scends every core quality of an employee with a heart for public service. She's poured her wisdom and sowed seeds of positivity into countless employees, including myself. I am humbly honored to pres- ent this prestigious award to her."
Mrs. Walker is the au- thor of several published on- line publications of the Beauty Talk Magazine. And, an inspiring publication of how she transformed her
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021