10/21/2026
Today we will highlight the Leadership Excellence Award that was presented at the Beyond the Call event. This year's winner is Rick Gisolf, DES Deputy Director over Johnson County Johnson County Emergency Communications Center
Since becoming Deputy Director over Emergency Communications in 2022, Rick Gisolf has provided what his nominator described as "steady, principled leadership in a complex, high-demand environment."
Rick leads with humility, integrity, and an uncommon willingness to listen — not simply to respond, but to understand. That became particularly clear during an agency-wide culture assessment focused on staffing, retention, burnout, and engagement.
When continuous hiring and trainee attrition created significant burnout among trainers, Rick didn't walk into the room with his own solution. Instead, he trusted the Training Division to research, develop, and implement a new pod-training model. He gave his team the autonomy to solve the problem.
That same trust extends to his leadership team. Rick empowers managers to make decisions, provides guidance without micromanaging, and creates an environment where questions, thoughtful disagreement, and learning are welcomed.
His nominator specifically highlighted Rick's humility. When he doesn't understand something, he asks questions — demonstrating to the people around him that understanding is more important than appearances or ego.
Congratulations, Rick!
