When the Dispatch Office reorganized, it became a 24/7 operation and staff sometimes were/are asked to work additional hours to cover open positions.
“Roze has taken the lead,” said Glenn Kurtz, Parking Director. “She stepped up on her own.”
She taught herself how to use the new complicated software and intercom system. And, after learning the new system, she took it upon herself to help train the other staff.
She has done all of this and maintains a positive attitude.
“She’s received emails from customers thanking her for the way she treated them,” Glenn added.
When the weather got bad with snow and ice, “Roze was one of those people who volunteered to stay and man the phones,” said Carlton Morgan, Operations Manager Senior.
In fact, “she came in during the inclement weather [when campus was closed],” Carlton said. “It’s very difficult to get her to take time off.”
Sherry Davidson, Senior Director, Parking & Transportation Services added, “We take for granted the services we offer but Roze epitomizes customer service. During the inclement weather, she trained me [on the system].”
Even with the snow falling outside and the phones ringing inside, “she remained calm,” Sherry said.
The reorganization process was tedious and “it has not been easy,” Glenn continued. “Roze has done it with grace and pride.”
At Roze’s Employee of the Month reception, she looked throughout the room at all the Parking and especially the Dispatch Office employees and said, “Thank you, guys. It’s about all of us.”
“It’s easy for me. I just got to work every day. It’s not a hardship.”
Thank you, Roze, for your continued hard work.
]]>That exactly describes the February 2018 Employee of the Month – Michael Little, Contract Officer I for Procurement & Business Services.
“Mike is steadfast,” said Ajay Patel, Director of Purchasing. “…Procurement implemented a new sourcing program. Mike accepted the changes that followed with grace and perseverance. He learned how to use the new program and challenged himself to take on more complicated sourcing processes to achieve better outcomes.
Another of the characteristics an Employee of the Month must show includes demonstrates a positive attitude toward work responsibilities, co-workers and customers and serves as a role model for others.
“Mike has a can-do attitude,” Ajay added.
Mike works well with all types of personalities and people who are in a hurry to get their projects completed.
He works well “with some of the most challenging customers we have,” Ajay said. “He serves their needs.”
Customers from across campus wrote to support Mike’s nomination as Employee of the Month.
“I am blessed to be associated with Mike Little,” wrote Hyacinth Ide, Associate Director for Landscape Services & Fleet Services. “Mike continuously provided my two departments, Landscape Services and Fleet Services (Motor Pool) with excellent service over the years. Mike is our go-to person for all purchases we use in the fulfilment of the Institute’s obligations assigned to us.”
Others agree.
“I’ve had the opportunity of working with Mike on numerous occasions during the past several years, generally related to Georgia Tech’s transportation services contract,” said David W. Williamson, Director, Transportation. “I’ve found Mike to work well with people (and we’ve had a lot of folks involved).”
Mike’s people skills shine through. At the reception given in his honor, Mike said, “Thank you to everybody. I’m a team player at heart. This award is just another one for the team.”
Thank you, Mike Little, for representing Georgia Tech and Procurement & Business Services in such a fine way. We appreciate your hard work. Congratulations for receiving the February 2018 Campus Services Employee of the Month!
]]>That exactly describes the February 2018 Employee of the Month – Michael Little, Contract Officer I for Procurement & Business
]]>Selected as the first Employee of the Month for 2018, Jordan showed these characteristics as a Student Center employee.
“If you ask him to do something that others have already done, he will not only do it but he will make everyone else better at the project too,” Carly added.
Clearly, others think he is also Employee of the Month material.
“Jordan is a wonderful colleague, a reliable support system and a consummate professional,” said Ben Williams, Associate Program Director for the Student Center.
“However, it is his care for people that sets him apart and makes him especially deserving of this recognition,” Ben added. “He greets students with excitement, helps me find solutions to administrative challenges and is always there to step in and step up before he is even asked.”
Currently, Jordan is studying to get his bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting. Who knows what position he’ll promote once he gets his degree?
“Georgia Tech, the Student Center and I are incredibly lucky to have a colleague and team member like Jordan,” Ben finalized in his comments about Jordan.
Carly had another comment as well. “Every office at Georgia Tech needs their own Jordan Scott but only the Student Center gets the one and only Jordan Scott.”
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Brenda Harmon, the December 2017 Campus Services Employee of the Month, is liked by many, especially students, if the many thank-you notes she has received mean anything and we think they do.
These are a few of the eight pages of thank -ous Brenda received:
Besides the many compliments Brenda receives from her students who live in the residence halls where she works, her supervisor congratulates her on her skills.
“Brenda is a great worker who has no problem going beyond the call of duty,” said Renardo Williams, Housing Community Services Supervisor.
“I can ask Brenda to do anything dealing with working, and I can tell you, she has never bucked her eyes, frowned, or expressed any rebuttal when given instructions. Brenda takes great pride in her building.”
One of the skills needed for Brenda’s Custodian II level of knowledge is floor care machinery operation. Brenda wasn’t as skilled in this area as needed, but she “jumped in and accepted the challenge.” Now, she routinely checks out the floor extractors and buffer machines to maintain carpeting, grouted floors and vinyl flooring in her building.
Prior to her arrival at Georgia Tech, she worked at Morehouse College in the President’s areas of campus. Clearly, she has brought a strong work ethic with her.
In addition to learning new skills, doing an excellent job in keeping her areas spotless and making friends of all her student residents, Brenda has received multiple Perfect Attendance Awards.
“While we understand that no one is perfect, I think that Brenda Harmon is the model employee that any company would be happy to have,” Renardo added. “I am grateful that she landed here at Georgia Tech.”
Thank you, Brenda, for your hard work and your natural friendliness especially to our students. Congratulations on being selected the December 2017 Campus Services Employee of the Month!
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“Dan has done an outstanding job for the Campus Recreation Complex (CRC) in the time he has been here (18 years), and his recent accomplishments are worthy of note and recognition,” said Michael Edwards, Senior Director, Campus Recreation.
“Dan has worked tirelessly to increase opportunities for both Competitive Sports and Campus Recreation through the expansion of Tech Wreck Camp, the creation of the Sport Clubs Leadership Series in 2016 and the securing of a critical partnership with the Student Government Association for the new Roe Stamps Fields video board.”
Dan was able to increase summer camp enrollment from 55 to 70 campers per week this past year. Not only did this increase the amount of staff needed to run the camp but it also entailed extra logistics for field trips, travel, meal and more. Dan and his team provided an excellent camp program to the Georgia Tech community and many parents were thankful for the extra space which meant less time on the wait list.
Another quality of an Employee of the Month is an outstanding employee who shows exemplary individual achievements, contribution and performance in their jobs and other related duties beyond their own offices.
Dan easily checks off that characteristic as well.
Dan also serves our national recreation profession, NIRSA, by presenting at national conferences and conducting research related to intramural sports and well-being. Dan’s research article, “Exploring NIRSA Championship Series Professional Development Opportunities: Understanding their Perceived Value to the Association,” was published in the Recreational Sports Journal. This research was a profound impact on the NIRSA community because it provides evidence based reasoning for participation in a NIRSA event such as the NIRSA Championship Series.
Is that all we know about Dan? No, not nearly.
“Dan is an essential ambassador of Campus Recreation and we are proud to have him on our staff,” Edwards continued. “His efforts are undeniable.”
Others agree.
“Thank you so much for your time, attention and quick response with seamlessly working Excel students into the intramural system,” said Marnie Williams, Mentor Coordinator for Excel. “It is great to have partners on campus who are supportive…”
More?
Dan is also a mentor to both his direct reports and his student staff, preparing them for life outside the CRC. The past two years, Dan empowered his direct reports to grow as leaders by providing them the opportunity to oversee the NIRSA Region II Basketball Tournaments which include more than 40 men’s and women’s teams.
"Dan's direct reports expanded valuable leadership capabilities as well as operational skills such as budget management, risk management and more through the tournament experience," Edwards said. “Student staff also assumed leadership roles in this tournament.”
Because of all these projects and more we congratulation Dan Hazlett as the November 2017 Campus Services Employee of the Month!
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"John acts as a business analyst for Conference Services," said John Nussear, Director, Conference Services. "He understands sales tactics and strategies, especially as they relate to technology."
Joe is also a skilled computer programmer. In addition to Conference Services, he is also an analyst and performs IT support for all of Housing.
“I’ll put Joe’s skills up against anybody’s,” said Mike Black, Assistant Vice President & Executive Director for Housing.
Joe has constructed numerous eCommerce websites that have taken Georgia Tech Conference Services to higher levels.
“Joe is so much more than a guy behind computer skills,” Nussear added.
In addition to his IT duties, Joe works with third-party conference clients to plan the details and implement the logistics for complex residential conference programs.
Joe is definitely deserving of the Employee of the Month award.
Congratulations, Joe!
]]>And that is just the beginning of what this extraordinary Georgia Tech employee does.
In fall semester this past year, Chris’ team experienced significant hall director turnover. With three vacancies, Chris assumed the additional duties and kept the area running smoothly. The Living Learning communities, Freshman Experience program, Hall Council officers, student staff were all engaged and supported – as if nothing had changed.
“Chris focuses on doing the best for our students and staff,” said Brett Hulst, Associate Director of Residence Life. “I am so happy to work with Chris as his supervisor. He embodies the reasons that I love working with students and working in Housing.”
In addition to making sure all the departments continued to run smoothly during the period of short-staffing, Chris advised the Freshman Activities Board and met with them at their weekly night meetings and attended their programs.
He also worked with the Professional Development Committee, creating and presenting educational programming to Residence Life professional staff.
And to make sure the profession as a whole kept up with the industry, Chris worked with other leadership members to plan the American College Personnel Association Convention in Columbus, Ohio.
“Chris is a great representative of Georgia Tech Campus Services,” said Paul A. Strouts, Vice President, Campus Services.
Other qualities of this employee of the month?
“He’s very loyal to his staff and students,” said Mike Black, Assistant Vice President, Georgia Tech Housing.
And what does Chris say?
“I really appreciate the work I get to do here.”
We are too. Thank you, Chris Ruiz, Area Manager, Housing, and September 2017 Campus Services Employee of the Month.
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“Kerry goes above and beyond to connect with our guests and provide amazing food and excellent customer service,” said the Employee of the Month Review Committee.
“He’s quick to go out of his way to offer alternatives and suggestions while maintaining a high level of customer service.
“Kerry was acknowledged in Georgia Tech 2016 customer satisfaction survey ‘“Woodruff has greatly improved over the past few years; the holiday meal was great; [it] made me feel like I’m more at home on campus. Enthusiasm of staff at woodies (especially Kerry) is awesome.”
At the reception given for Kerry in honor of his selection, Paul Strouts, Vice President, Campus Services, said, “Kerry made significant changes at Woodruff and now he is taking his talents over to West Village.
Lisa McClain, Georgia Tech Dining Services, praised Kerry for his work, stating, “Kerry has been a valued team member of Woodruff since November 2014. He is continuously looking for ways to learn more about food, techniques and our vision.
“Kerry does an amazing job at describing our Fresh, Local Sustainable program. He makes every interaction count by explaining our utilization of local farms, Fresh house-made items and reduction of processed foods throughout campus.”
By enjoying campus food, Dining is one of the areas that students, faculty and staff use to make their classes and work a happier place.
“We have a story and we tell it every day,” said Joe Polanco, Operations Manager III for Dining Services.
And Kerry tells that story well.
“Kerry is a team player, always smiling and has a positive outlook on things regardless of the challenge,” McClain continued. “We appreciate his hard work and commitment to making every day a better day.”
Congratulations, Kerry, on your selection as Employee of the Month for August 2017!
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And, Kate is so much more.
A Campus Recreation (CRC) employee since September 2014, Kate has done an outstanding job since day one. As Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications, she shoulders the bulk of the work of creating, promoting and managing all of the marketing mediums for each and every CRC program. This includes, but is not limited to, the CRC website, social media outlets, print media (flyers, banners, brochures, postcards, business cards and more), t-shirts, promotional items for events, parent and staff newsletters and so much more.
“Kate tackles each project head on and produces phenomenal results each and every time,” said Michael Edwards, senior director, Campus Recreation.
During the past year, Kate has been working double duty with the CRC and Health & Well-Being. With the creation of branding for Health & Well-Being. Dr. Suzy Harrington, executive director, Health & Wellbeing, looked to Kate for leadership in the creation of the Health & Well-Being Strategy Model.
“I want to thank you, especially for the Model and the Health & Well-Being website,” said Suzy.
Most recently, Kate has worked tirelessly on another website as well. She transferred the entire CRC website – and its 50+ pages of content – to a new website platform, Drupal. This transformation has taken countless hours of moving content, building new pages, taking numerous new photos and revising pages and page of information so the new website can be a dynamic representation of Campus Recreation.
Kate has done this herculean feat all while maintaining other deadlines such as the producing the Fall and Spring Program Guides, creating and promoting individual area events, working on huge marketing projects for the NCAA, ACC, and GHSA swim meets (to name a few), and creating new marketing materials for the Office of Health & Well-Being.
She even found the time to co-chair the marketing committee for a regional conference for the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) this past fall as well as be part of several committees on campus.
And she has just finished another piece – the 2016 CRC Strategic Impact.
“Kate has been very hard at work,” said Paul Strouts, vice president, Campus Services. “The CRC Strategic Impact is an excellent piece. I want to give to some of the executives here at Georgia Tech copies of it. I was very impressed with this piece.”
Thank you, Kate, for your hard work and for being a role model for other Campus Services’ employees who strive to become Employees of the Month!
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“Julie routinely carries out tasks that are far beyond the scope of an Administrative Professional III in support of our small team,” said Shawn Stinson, Programs Manager for the Academy of Medicine.
“She arrives as early as 5 a.m., staying as late as 1 a.m. to assist with vendors load in and load out. She is often working on multiple projects at one time and while keeping the multiple details separate, she maintains the deadlines. The entire time she remains upbeat and positive.”
The Historic Academy of Medicine at Georgia Tech is a special events venue that not only provides event space for Georgia Tech students, faculty and staff but it also is one of Atlanta’s premier venues for weddings, receptions and conferences. To say that the staff must continually offer exceptional customer service would be an understatement. To keep customers coming back and gaining new customers, the staff must always be exemplary in their service and support and keep those smiling faces even when days are long, customers are nervous and last-minute decisions must be handled successfully.
Julie fits right in with this environment.
“Above all else, above any additional responsibilities she assumes, Julie greets every day, every person and every situation with a positive ‘can do’ attitude,” Stinson said.
“She understands our dedication to irrefutable service and isn’t afraid to challenge us to continue to raise the bar.”
Others agree.
“It’s always wonderful to work with Julie Smith,” added Sabrina Curran, Senior Account Executive for Proof of Pudding. “She’s always on top of her game when our catering team arrives. She sees that the client needs are being met and she is also considerate enough to make sure that the catering partner has everything they need upon arrival (parking passes, floor plans, time lines, etc.). She is a true asset to her team and a pleasure to work with.”
“Julie is a consummate professional,” said Joanna Jeskova, Executive Assistant to Dean Jacqueline Royser. “She responds quickly to email queries and provides thorough information in reply to questions and is personable and friendly in the process. I have been impressed by the interactions I have had when I’ve needed questions answered or been unclear about a particular planning process. I am impressed by her graciousness and her collaborative spirit.”
Birney Robert, Event Coordinator, Georgia Tech College of Computing said, “Julie is a pleasure to work with. I absolutely love hosting events at the Academy of Medicine because I feel like all of the heavy lifting has been done for me and Julie helps ensure that I have nothing to stress over. She is kind, professional, timely and most importantly informative. The Academy of Medicine is very lucky to have such a dedicated employee on their team.”
Thank you, Julie, for your consistent hard work with driven results. Welcome to the Campus Services Employee of the Month Club!
]]>“Melanie is very active on campus and volunteers at many alumni functions, “ said Deborah Spillers, Nursing Manager at Stamps Health Services. “She endeavors to make a difference to every Georgia Tech student she encounters and I believe she has to a great many of them.”
Melanie Thomas specializes in Travel, Immunization and Allergies and is respected by her patients for treating them with respect and dignity. She keeps her professionalism even in difficult situations.
Melanie researches new topics in Allergy and Immunization. She visits other allergy offices in the Atlanta area to make sure Stamps Health Services is as updated as possible in methods treating the students.
Thanks, Melanie, for being a positive addition to the Stamps Health Services team!
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Additionally, Jenny oversaw the Make a Splash Tour event. This USA Swimming event brought elementary school swimmers and professional swimmers together for an immersive and interactive training experience. As a result of Jenny’s hard work, the USA Swimming team presented Georgia Tech with a $2,500.00 grant to b used to expand the CRC’s Lesson Program. These funds will specifically provide swim lessons to CEISMC camp participants who would otherwise not have an opportunity to learn how to swim.
Typically, Jenny receives thank you notes for her hard work from clients:
"Just a quick note to thank you and all of Georgia Tech for allowing me to gain an insight and take at look at your wonderful Aquatic Center..."
Jenny, we thank you too for being our November 2016 Employee of the Month!
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