2023 IQS Leadership Award for Quality

Safety: it’s a word that provokes mixed reactions. Some are passionate and others consider the topic to be downright boring. After all, why would employees circle meetings about personal and organizational safety on their work calendars?

But when scenarios and recommendations to prevent incidents are presented by Risk & Safety Manager Amy Murray, the art of creating a safe workspace and community is one of the more exciting topics.

For her dedication to exploring and presenting the field of safety in a fun and engaging manner, as well as her exceptional contributions to the City’s Safety Committee, Murray was recently awarded the 2023 IQS Leadership Award for Quality.

The Risk & Safety Manager position is a relatively new addition to the City of Edina’s Human Resources Department. Emphasizing the importance of workplace and community safety, the position was established in late 2021, with Murray being the first to hold the title in the Department’s history.

With risk management experience in both the public and private sectors, Murray is highly qualified for the job. She is responsible for developing a comprehensive risk management program, a coordinated plan to identify, review and mitigate risks within the organization. Murray also ensures compliance with federal and state standards and regulations and partners with leaders and employees to identify or support various initiatives.

There is no question that the scope of public sector risk management is very broad, as the topic permeates into all departments, as well as City-owned facilities and events. Creating a culture of safety can be a long and tedious process and requires cooperation and participation from all levels of the City to achieve.

Yet, Murray’s tenacity and motivation to help her community has helped advance the City’s agenda of safety and risk mitigation. Murray has often been cited as a manager who is never reluctant to venture outside of City Hall to ensure City-owned buildings, its employees and the general public are safe.

“Amy is truly the boots on the ground at all our facilities, working with Directors, General Managers, Managers, Supervisors and staff to identify safety issues and producing ways to address those concerns,” said Facilities Supervisor Jon Darsow.

Another primary responsibility of Murray’s is leading the Edina Safety Committee, which explores ways the City could adjust procedures or equipment to allow for increased safety. Murray’s findings and safety suggestions are then used to create quarterly presentations for Edina’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

“Her quarterly presentations to the ELT were among the most interesting presentations made in 2023,” said Communications Director Jennifer Bennerotte, who nominated Murray for the IQS Leadership award.

Murray’s presentations to the ELT created the ability for Directors to understand safety metrics across the organization, helping leadership reduce risk through education and training. Moreover, Murray’s passion for the topic, personality and public speaking skills make her presentations all the more exciting for attendees.

“I think her genuine passion is what sets her apart. It infuses her work with energy and enthusiasm, driving her to consistently achieve high standards of quality,” said Human Resources Department Director Kelly Curtin. “We should all be very grateful to have Amy on our team. She is going to do continue to drive a culture of workplace safety in a positive, impactful way.”

“The quality of Amy’s work is amazing,” City Manager Scott Neal said. “When I tell people that we have an exciting, enthusiastic Risk Manager, they never believe me. Those two things just don’t go together – except in the case of Amy Murray.”

Forming a safe workplace takes us all, but the direction provided by Murray has made a sensitive topic an exciting one and reflects the City’s commitment to safety.

Neal presented Murray the award in front of her peers at the February 27 Human Resources staff meeting.