St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court Malise Prieto announced the employees of the month for the fourth quarter of 2009, Penny Bible, Lisa Manda and Gretchen Cowart who were nominated by customers, coworkers and managers and then selected for displaying attributes such as providing excellent customer service, being a team player, sharing the clerk’s vision, leadership skills, sharing knowledge and mentoring coworkers, while displaying a number of other positive qualities.

The clerk’s goal is to provide exemplary customer service to all who call upon her office, and these employees personify traits leading to that goal.

Bible, court division docket clerk, is the October Employee of the Month. She began her career at the clerk’s office Sept. 3, 2004. She is currently assigned to Division J, Judge Knight’s team, and Division H, Judge Penzato’s team. In her position, Bible processes pleadings for both divisions, prepares and sends notices to defendants and attorneys, indexes and processes motions, subpoenas and other legal documents. She works closely with cross-trained minute clerks, who attend both civil and criminal court. Bible reviews and works notices of judgments, pulls dockets, processes daily filings, handles numerous telephone calls on the busy days of court when the minute clerks are in court.

Fourth quarter employees of the month at the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court’s office are from left, Lisa Manda, Clerk of Court Malise Prieto, Penny Bible and Gretchen Cowart.

Manda, juvenile minute clerk, the November Employee of the Month, began her career at the clerk’s office in May 2007 as a criminal customer service representative. This area of the clerk’s office is very busy and is first in the business, where public service matters and where the Clerk of Court has set high standards for her office. She has received numerous customer satisfaction comment cards on her behalf, where customers took the time to write about their experiences with her.  

In the customer service position, Manda worked as part of a team at a counter, where she assisted the public in person and via the telephone. Manda progressed in the criminal department and is currently assigned to the juvenile/non-support team. She has many responsibilities in this area of court concerning juvenile matters. Manda works with the district attorney’s office on preparation of dockets of court and has been praised by the judicial staff on her professionalism in the courtroom.

Cowart, certificate clerk, the December Employee of the Month, began her career at the clerk’s office Sept. 17, 2001. Cowart was recruited especially for the Land Records Department. Her training began in a scanning position and had the laborious task of indexing and inputting land documents such as deeds, mortgages, maps, etc. and connecting them to the clerk’s computer data base, which allows customers to view the digital images of documents via the computer at the clerk’s office.

Cowart is proficient and possesses the skills to examine previously scanned documents for viewing clarity and correctness. Her attention to detail and desire to learn led the way to her current position as a land records certificate clerk. In this position, she researches the St. Tammany Parish mortgage records in name and property description furnished by the public, title companies and financial and lending institutions.

Cowart also prepares mortgage certificates for sheriff’s sales, which has greatly increased in the current recession. She also communicates with stressed customers who are using their property to bond friends and/or relatives out of jail. Cowart was selected for accepting all career development as offered and for professionally representing the clerk’s office.