Moonlighter's Exchange Club Owatonna Officer of the Year

The Moonlighter's Exchange Club held their Officer of the Year banquet at the Owatonna VFW on Thursday, May 12, and that honor went to officer Adam Hennen.

According to the program, Adam Hennen is 2003 a ROCORI graduate. He attended Ridgewater Communtiy College in 2007 and continued his education at Alexandria Technical and Community College. Since 2008, he has worked in law enforcement in the cities of Watkins, Paynesville and Madelia, then joined the Owatonna Police Department November 5, 2012.

Hennen thanked the many officers who stood by his side during a difficult time and through the many aspects of being a police officer. His fellow officers say, "he is a trusted partner to his peers and is often the glue that holds the patrol division together," also, "He does what he does in a sincere effort to help others."

Ben Cass, president of the Moonlighter's Exchange Club, conducted the evening as an official meeting.

First from Owatonna Mayor Tom Kuntz a proclamation that Thursday, May 12, 2016, is Adam Hennen Day.

Charlie Herrmann was the keynote speaker. After graduating from New Ulm High School in 1946, he joined the U.S. Navy. Herrmann earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Macalester College in St. Paul. He eventually began an endeavor as a public speaker after many years in sales. Herrmann would go to many graduations and even spoke at ROCORI school, where he remembers six spotlights on him during the speech and, teasingly said he was unsure if there was an audience.

Herrmann was a humorist and a positive speaker. His one-liners included:

I take my job seriously, but I take myself lightly.
Attention to employees, that has the dominate impact on productivity
Don't talk unless you can improve the silence.

Police Chief Keith Hiller spoke about Hennen. He steps up and volunteers for the department and his partners. He volunteered to be a Field Training Officer, Use of Force Instructor and Crime Free Multi-Housing Coordinator. He takes pride in training and wants to make sure that officers are trained well and are safe. Hiller said that Hennen is kind, respectful, compassionate and represents all of officers with highest degree of honor.

Moonlighter's President-Elect Deb Eby explained that the Exchange Club has three core values: Commitment to Family, Commitment to Country and Commitment to Community. Eby thanked all officers for keeping residents safe. She went on to describe some of the guidelines to electing the Owatonna's Officer of the Year. Must be in good standing, maintained an outstanding level of productivity, completion of tasks that went above and beyond the call of duty, supporting of crime prevention, and perform acts of valor.