City Service Excellence: 65 City of Virginia Beach Employees Awarded for 30+ Years of Service

This week, the City of Virginia Beach honored the extraordinary commitment of 65 employees who reached service milestones of 30, 35, 40 and 45 years of service. These devoted City employees were celebrated at the 53rd Annual Service Awards ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

Those being recognized this year for the longest milestone with the City—45 years—are Public Works employee Richard Rogers and Public Utilities employees Donald Flinn and Jay Bradshaw.

Public Works employee Richard Rogers is a survey aide in the Engineering Survey Bureau, where he has been for 45 years. He said he still enjoys the work and the people too much to retire. “I like what I do. I like being outside,” he said. “If it was something I didn’t like or if I didn’t get along with people, I probably would have retired a while ago. But everything seems to be in place.”

Throughout his 45 years in Utility Operations, Jay Bradshaw has enjoyed the camaraderie he shares with his team. “Being out here as long as I have, the guys you work with end up becoming a small family,” he said. “We have a bunch of good, good people, and it’s nice to work with them.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2022 the median tenure for U.S. workers remaining with an employer is 4.1 years. The City of Virginia Beach currently employs more than 250 full-time workers with 30+ years of City service, and 17% of the total workforce has been at the City for 20+ years.

In a speech thanking the award recipients, City Manager Patrick Duhaney said, “Your presence here today speaks volumes of your loyalty to this city and to public service. I have the utmost respect for everything you do on a daily basis.”

The total tenure of the 65 City employees honored this year adds up to 2,240 years of service.

Find YOUR best job yet at virginiabeach.gov/careers.