The Edmond Sun

State News

June 6, 2012

Former Oklahoma DHS director presented lifetime achievement award

TULSA — A lifetime achievement award has been presented by the American Public Human Services Association to Howard Hendrick, former director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

Hendrick retired in April after leading the $2 billion agency for nearly 14 years. DHS has about 8,000 employees.

The professional association pointed to his work in increasing child-support collections, leading the nation in adoptions of children per capita and improving child-care quality by strengthening licensing and monitoring standards.

Hendrick was president of the association in 2009 and 2010 and a board member from June 2004 until his retirement.

In 2004, he was selected as one of four Americans to receive the National Public Service Award for leadership in public administration, presented jointly by the National Academy of Public Administration and the American Society for Public Administration. In 2003, the Oklahoma Institute of Child Advocacy named him to the Child Advocates Hall of Fame.

Before joining DHS, he was the Cabinet secretary for human services for former Govs. Brad Henry and Frank Keating. He also served 12 years as a member of the state Senate.

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