MMHR presents Skop award to Molly Fitzpatrick

Westwood Deputy Town Administrator Molly Fitzpatrick received the 2024 Emil Skop Award during a Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources-sponsored workshop held at Connect 351 on Jan. 24 in Boston.

The Skop Award is given each year in recognition of outstanding contributions made to the field of municipal human resources management.

Emil Skop was one of the founding members of the Massachusetts Municipal Personnel Association (renamed MMHR in 2019) and served as its first executive secretary. Before “networking” became a recognizable term, Skop recognized the value of sharing information and experiences with other human resources and labor relations professionals, and was recognized for his tireless efforts in this area.

Keeping with MMHR tradition, the previous year’s Skop awardee, Danvers Assistant Town Manager Jen Breaker, gave a speech celebrating Fitzpatrick’s achievements.

“The individual receiving this year’s award is a trailblazer in local government HR,” Breaker said. “She is always willing to help her HR colleagues, talking through issues and empathizing with a hard day … And she does this while being one of the most upbeat, fun, and compassionate municipal leaders I know.”

Breaker also highlighted Fitzpatrick’s respected track record in collective bargaining and trust-building during the negotiation process; innovative approaches to employee recruitment, retention and recognition; and mentorship and networking work in support of fellow MMHR members.

“I am honored to announce that this year’s Skop Award winner is my friend, and your amazing colleague, Molly Fitzpatrick,” she said.