Press Release
♦ Allen Cress will take the helm at Rowan County Telecommunications Department on December 31, 2014. Cress who has served 20 years in telecommunications in Rowan County with the last ten years as a 911 Supervisor stated, “I am truly honored to have the opportunity to work with the staff of the Rowan County Telecommunications Department, Administration and all of the citizens in Rowan County.”
During Cress’ tenure, he has helped transform the Rowan County 911 center into one of the most technologically advanced and state of the art centers in the state. He looks forward to continuing the advancement of the center and its staff to one of the most professional and accredited organizations in the 911 industry. “I have enjoyed working with our dedicated staff over the past twenty years and I anticipate many more years managing the operations of the entire department”.
County Manager Aaron Church stated, “I am very pleased that Allen agreed to accept the position of Telecommunications Director. In the last few months I have learned that Allen is a solid and respected leader in the community with in-depth institutional knowledge of both communications and public safety. I am confident that he will serve the community in an exemplary manner. We are excited about working with Allen for many years to come.”
Cress began working in public service in 1982 while still attending East Rowan High School joining the Rockwell Rural Fire Department as a volunteer. He has served the last 20 years as Chief of the department, stepping down October 1st of this year. He serves on the Board of Directors for the department as the treasurer. He holds several state and national instructor certifications in the law, fire and EMS fields. He is nationally certified as an ENP (Emergency Number Professional). The ENP certification demonstrates a mastery of the comprehensive knowledge base required for emergency number program management. Cress holds numerous other state and national certifications related to public safety and the 911 industry. Cress is a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rockwell and serves on the church’s Council.
Cress was honored in 1998 by the Rowan County Fire and Rescue Association for Service and Dedication in 1998. He was honored by The North Carolina Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials in 2008 with the “NC Line Supervisor of the Year Award”. He has demonstrated his strong commitment to the community through work on several projects over his years in public service.
“Allen’s many years of local experience both in 9-1-1 and the public safety fields is a definite plus for the county”, shared Frank Thomason, Chief of Emergency Services with Rowan County. “I had the privilege of hiring Allen in 1994 as a telecommunicator, and have seen him come up through the ranks in our system. He is dedicated to keeping our system the best it can possibly be, and our emergency services agencies look forward to his leadership in this critical position”.
