Kim Kaemmerer, a Missouri Disability Determination Services (DDS) regional manager, was recently honored as a 2015 Missouri State Employee Award of Distinction winner for her leadership skills. The award is one of the highest honors a Missouri state employee can receive.

“Kim is a manager who is conscious of the needs of others. She has always strived to maintain the right balance between production goals and office culture. She leads with the agency mission as her focus and encourages others to do the same,” said Jeff Ripley, DDS field operations manager.

An example of her leadership ability is the manner in which she handled the recent tragic onsite death of a long-time medical consultant.

 “She set aside her own concerns,” said Ripley. “She pulled (the staff) together and shared the news. She made herself available to visit.”

Kaemmerer said she leads people with “a sense of hope and compassion.”

“The fact that she was able to come in and take care of business and people, in spite of her own pain and hurt, just really speaks volumes about her,” said Joanne Moses, district manager of the St. Louis DDS office.

Kaemmerer, who has worked for DDS since 2002, will be honored along with seven other employees at a reception on May 28 in Jefferson City.