In announcing the County Employee of the Year, County Manager Kelly Atkins said, "this person is someone who displays cooperation, loyalty, and who routinely goes above and beyond. She has been known to work after hours and on holidays to see that a project is completed; jumps in when needed due to vacancies in critical positions; motivates others and encourages them to seek higher education. Leading by example, she attained her own educational goals while already working for the County. Employed by the County since 2002, our County Employee of the Year for 2021 is Laurel Helms, Deputy CIO for Information Technology.

In recognizing Ron Rombs as the Manager of the Year, Atkins said, "While it is true that all our department managers are outstanding leaders, Ron was selected for the honor by his peers, the County Manager, and Commissioners. Over the last 15 years, he has served as the director of several departments. Ron served in the US Army and receifed a Bronze Star among other accolades. We expected much from him, and he delivered. As a result of his leadership, Lincoln County EMS was designated as a Model EMS System by the NC Office of Emergency Medical Services in 2007. Over the past year, he managed three County departments. Our Lincoln County Department Manager of the Year is Emergency Services Director Ron Rombs.