On October 4, 2025, Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden took the stage at Memorial Hall in Bismarck to present the 2025 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Public Service, recognizing state government teams whose work delivered exceptional public value.
Over 300 nominations were submitted by employees statewide; winners ranged from trail restoration crews to wildfire response units.
This annual awards ceremony, held in the capital city’s historic hall, draws attention not just to state-level achievements but also to how state agencies interact with Bismarck-area communities. Appropriations, infrastructure, parks, and emergency services here often depend on those same teams.
By hosting it in Bismarck, the state underscores the city’s central role in policymaking—and gives locals a front-row seat to see which state teams are being honored.
This year’s awards included:
Triple-Play Award: NDPERS Retirement Plan Transition Team, for shifting new hires to a defined-contribution plan in 18 months.
Prairie Pheasant Flush Award: DPI & Center for Distance Education, for partnering with the National Guard on a new military readiness pathway for students.
Backbone Collaboration Award: Little Missouri State Park trail restoration team, restoring over 5 miles of abandoned trails.
Strength from the Soil Award: ND Game & Fish WMA district managers for managed grazing models across prairie landscapes.
Roaming Bison Award: October Wildfire Unified Command for coordinating 15+ agencies to battle wildfires that burned over 118,000 acres in 2024.
"Our state agencies continue to deliver world-class service in collaboration with each other and our local, tribal and federal partners,” Governor Armstrong said. This year’s awards highlight teams that went above and beyond in serving our citizens and making North Dakota an even better place to live, work and raise a family,” he added.
One recipient, a representative from the NDPERS team, noted: “Completing this transition across multiple agencies with zero service disruptions was a team effort built on cross-department trust.”
