What makes a local government hero?
Every day, local government workers dedicate themselves to making our communities thrive. They keep the lights on, the parks clean, the streets safe, and our cities running smoothly—often without recognition. While they may not wear capes, their unwavering commitment to public service makes them true heroes among us. Missouri LAGERS honors these extraordinary individuals through the Local Government Hero Award, which recognizes a LAGERS member who has gone above and beyond their call of duty to create a lasting, positive impact on their community.
Tasneam Nawaz selected as Missouri LAGERS’ 2026 Local Government Hero
Tasneam Nawaz of the city of Cleveland was announced as the Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System’s (LAGERS) 2026 Local Government Hero Award winner during the system’s Annual Meeting on Oct. 29.
The Missouri Local Government Hero Award program was created to celebrate the outstanding contributions of the state’s local public workforce and is annually bestowed upon a LAGERS member who has acted above and beyond their call of duty to enhance their workplace, their community, and their profession. Tasneam is the eighth recipient of the statewide honor since the award’s inception in 2017.
Tasneam was selected for this year’s award for her outstanding commitment and service to the city of Cleveland over the past 30 years both in her professional role as city clerk and through her dedication to creating the city of Cleveland’s history museum.
Past Winners
2025 – Andre Williams, City of Macon
2024 – Tracy Prost, City of Perryville
2023 – Jamey McVicker, St. Joseph Fire Department
2022 – Jayne White, Andrew County Health Department
2021 – Dan Burns, Battlefield Fire Protection District
2020 – Darold Donathan, City of Branson
2019 – Brent Mullins, City of Sikeston
Media Coverage:
- Macon police sergeant selected as 2025 winner of the Local Government Hero Award
- Assistant fire chief earns award for leadership, community efforts
- Three Missouri Public Servants Honored at LAGERS’ Local Government Hero Award Ceremony
- Branson police officer finalist for award _ KOLR – OzarksFirst
- Branson Officer Named Finalist for Government Hero Award
- Branson police officer receives statewide award
- Monettan nominated for state honor – The Monett Times
- 2020 Local Government Hero Nominees
- 2019 Local Government Hero Nominees
Nominations Open April 1, 2027
Nominations for the 2027 Local Government Hero Award open April 1 and will close April 30 at 11:30 p.m. A committee of LAGERS staff will review all nominations and selects a winner, who will be recognized at LAGERS’ Annual Meeting in October.
Nominees are evaluated using the following criteria:
- Consistent willingness to go above and beyond the daily duties of a public servant through their career.
- Creating a positive impact on their local community.
- Positively impacting their colleagues, employer, and profession.
- Bringing distinction to themselves, their employer, or the community they serve through their actions or accomplishments.
Please be sure to review the Nomination Guidelines for judging criteria!
The nomination form works best on a desktop computer.
