Farmington Hills names Hannah Muth 2024 employee of the year for aquatics leadership

City Manager Gary Mechchen and Special Services Director Ellen Schnackl presented Hannah Muth as Farmington Hills' 2024 employee of the year, citing her leadership of aquatics programming across the Hawk complex and her role in training lifeguards and managing facility operations.

"Hannah started her career with the city in November 2022...Her home base is the Hawk and its exciting aquatic center," Gary Mechchen said while presenting the award. Mechchen's remarks cited program figures included in the presentation: nearly 6,000 fitness pass holders at the Hawk (about $1,000,000 in revenue last fiscal year), more than 2,000 youth swim-lesson registrations in 2024 (about $400,000 in revenue), and an effort that helped the department train nearly 500 lifeguards in 2024 — an 83 percent increase over 2023.

Muth oversees three aquatic facilities, recruits and supervises more than 100 part-time lifeguards and instructors, and handles mechanical and repair issues at pools and splash pads. Presenters and written nominations highlighted her role in certifying many staff, her willingness to respond during medical emergencies, and the programmatic revenue her division supports.

"The day I found out I would be receiving the employee of the year award was special yet chaotic to say the least," Hannah Muth said in her remarks, thanking the special services team and her family. "I'm excited to do more great work for the city of Farmington Hills."

The city described the award as peer-driven: nominees are submitted by coworkers and vetted by executive staff and human resources before the selection is finalized. Muth received multiple nominations that cited her recruitment and retention ideas, training performance and steady handling of staffing and facility challenges.

City leaders asked attendees to remain after the program for photos and continued recognition of awardees.