The IOWA affords supervisors and co-workers the opportunity to recognize staff for a variety of efforts that have had positive results in their workplace. Nominations are taken twice a year.
A spring reception is held to acknowledge both fall and spring winners and their nominators.
Spring 2009 Awardees
Individual : : Team
Individual Winners (alphabetical order)
Mary (Kayt) Conrad, Division of Performing Arts. Kayt was the Go- to and Can-do person for the School of Music and Theatre Arts Department during and in the aftermath of the flood. She lead the moving of the departments out of their buildings into summer quarters, then to fall quarters, and into spring quarters. Her attention to faculty, student and staff needs and her leadership from details to vision ensured that the programs continued. Nominated by Alan MacVey.
Amy Engelmann, College of Public Health. Amy’s responsibility was to ensure that the 23 international students participating in the Certificate in Emerging Infectious Disease Epidemiology were successful in their two week summer program. During the second week of classes the flood occurred. Amy facilitated within 8 hours their evacuation from Mayflower Hall to the Sheraton for the last three days of the program with the help of faculty and staff. Burge had been suggested, however, there was no food service or linens available at that time. Amy is looking forward to this summer’s program with 33 participants. Nominated by Janet Duncan and Kay Shie.
David Etler, Office of Student Affairs and Curriculum. Dave has researched, designed and installed 9 galleries of student art and one major installation accumulated from 8 art classes he has coordinated for the 120 students medical students who have participated in these enrichment classes at lunchtime. Their work now enhances the MERF working and studying environment due to Dave’s ingenious displays. Nominated by Margaret Lemay-Lewis and Cathy Solow.
Team Winners (alphabetical order)
Core Lab Scheduling, Pathology- A team of staff and management volunteered to devise a scheduling process that could respond to individual requests, testing/training needs, contract guidelines and UIHC institutional goals. Using lean principles and tools and in collaboration with staff and the Training Resource and Action Committee (TRAC), the process uses transparent scheduling principles and provides consistent, fair and equitable treatment for staff. Nominated by Sue Zaleski.
Tami Bebber
Iwa Clark
Carrie Ferguson
Susie Goodell
Stephanie Kneeskern
Mary Kline
Sue E. Lewis
Rebecca Nelson
Linda Savage
Glenda Skallerud
EPO Crew, Educational Placement Office. The Every Person’s Obligation Crew joined to volunteer ideas that individuals and the office could use to contribute to sustainability and stability in the office. The savings of over $3000 a year is sweet; the collaboration across generations of staff is sweeter. Nominated by Rebecca Anthony.
Rebecca Anthony
Will Coghill-Behrends
Doris Havel
Elizabeth Holm
Gary Kramer
Ray Meredith
Jim Verry
Greening Comprehensive Exams, College of Education. A pilot in the summer of 2006 has grown to be a college-wide process in the use of computers for students and faculty for comprehensive exams. Students are happy to use computers, 9, 000 pieces of paper are saved each year, and the collaboration of ITS, Student Services and faculty throughout the college has contributed to a greater sense of community. Nominated by Laurie Croft.
John Achrazoglou -- Learning Resource Center
Sue Cline -- Office of Student Services
Wayne Kintz -- Learning Resource Center
Keeping the Art and Music Libraries in Service, University of Iowa Libraries. Most of the art and music collections are print-based and although they were safe on upper floors during the flood, to access them was daunting. This team devised a system to request resources online, provide access to flood damaged buildings, find the requests using headlamps, drag boxes down stairs and van over to Main Libraries. With this process, 19,500 resources were handled so that arts majors had what they needed despite the flood. Nominated by Linda Walton.
Ronald Carey
Kim Carpenter
Susan Malecki
Amy McBeth
Ruthann McTyre
Rijn Templeton
Making Custodial Work Safer, Facilities Management Area 3A Custodial. Bill Meyer took the message of a custodial ergonomics training by FM and AFSCME International and began evaluating equipment and processes in his area. With the support of his supervisor, Duane Lown, he tested everything from how to more safely grip a rag, to the use of a pivoting recycle cart. Bill and Duane have shared these tools and techniques throughout their area to save injuries from happening. Nominated by Dave Jackson and Joe Brinson.
Duane Lown
William Meyer
Nite-Ride Team, Department of Public Safety. The UI was searching for a way to assist women in getting home safely late Friday and Saturday nights. Brad Allison researched “safe ride” programs in other locales and developed our program, exclusively for women. In the implementation stage, UI Security Guards have provided suggestions including 7 day service, maintenance, selection and design of a new vehicle, etc. The commitment to improving this service sustains the program so that 13, 000 riders have returned home safely since its inception. Nominated by Bill Searls.
Bradford Allison
James Cirese
Timothy Davis
Kenneth Friedhoff
Daniel Grissom
Larry Harmsen
Beau Hartsock
Brianne Kane
Jeremy Myers
Travis Niles
Craig Nixon
Jason Tipsword
OSAC Fun Committee, Office of Student Affairs and Curriculum, College of Medicine. Volunteers joined to build camaraderie, collegiality and communication through planning a myriad of activities for fun. And new leaders among the staff have grown from this experience. Nominated by Cathy Solow.
Linda Birkhofer
Kristine Dawkins
Annette Griffin
Deb Henricks
Kathlene Huebner
Carolyn Murphy
Brenda Van Dee
Stephanie Whitlock
Gerald Wickham
Fall 2008 Awardees
Individual :: Team
Individual Winners (alphabetical order)
Linda Birkhofer, College of Medicine Administration, facilitated an initiative to create interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students from medicine, pharmacy, nursing, social work, nutrition and public health engaging 147 faculty facilitators in the Clinical Beginnings course. Nominated by Gerald Wickham.
Jill Carroll, Department of Social Services, took the opportunity during her performance appraisal to set a goal of initiating a mentoring program for new staff. To date, 14 new staff have been matched with mentors resulting in satisfaction for both parties. Nominated by Tara Clark.
Eric Dean, School of Art and Art History, had the image production system running three weeks after the flood through many efforts: overseeing remaining slide collection removal to Hardin Library, arranging for vital equipment to be shipped, supervising transfer and set-up of entire operation to Seashore Hall with the result that summer and fall courses in Art History were offered as planned. Nominated by John Scott.
Jon Maakestad, Pathology, ensures through his personal time that 375 families will find food at the North Liberty Food Bank. He engages his co-workers in a variety of continuous opportunities to donate to help provide over 8000 lbs of food. Nominated by Sue Lewis.
Kevin McGlynn, School of Art and Art History, worked to develop streamlined processes to conform to insurance and FEMA guidelines, and re-engineered bidding processes so that 120 major equipment items (lithography presses to electroforming units)that had been destroyed by the flood were purchased and arrived on time for fall classes. Nominated by John Scott.
Theresa Ortner, Pathology, provides health care policy information to her co-workers through presentations, continuing education sessions, and bulletin boards so that staff may understand and support legislation that effect patient care and laboratory medicine. Nominated by Sue Zaleski.
Karla Stout, School of Art and Art History, coordinated the return to the rehabbed Art Building and Art Building West in the few weeks preceding fall classes. Her supervision included tagging furniture and equipment to be moved to other sites around campus as the Art Studio building was not available; sorting furniture, equipment, and works of art that were hurriedly moved to the upper floors in advance of the flood; and ensuring it all got to the right spot for the 950 students to experience an uninterrupted school beginning. Nominated by John Scott.
Team Winners (alphabetical order)
Biosciences Admission Application Team created a common we-based application for 14 graduate training programs that provides to students a way to check the status of their application and to faculty and staff the capability to view files in real time and run reports. Nominated by Andrew Russo.
Ryan Potter -- Medicine Administration
Jodi Graff -- Medicine Administration - Biosciences Program
William (Jim) Weaver -- Health Care Information Services
Duane Staskal -- Health Care Information Services
Cancer Clinic Waiting Room—Patient feedback indicated a need for an upgrade. Staff accessed Project Art work, rearranged the furniture, provided puzzles and cards and are planning a humor corner. Smiling and occupied people are enjoying this friendlier space. Nominated by Jane Utech.
Rachel Wade -- Nursing - Cancer Clinic
Beth Schubert -- Nursing - Cancer Clinic
Alicia Dusenberry -- Nursing - Cancer Clinic
Jane Utech -- Nursing - Cancer Clinic
Brooke Hammond -- Nursing - Cancer Clinic
Central Line Placement Team—In 3 meetings, this small multi-professional group devised a protocol so that patients have one less patient visit through the use of an RN phone screening and preparation and prompt scheduling. Nominated by Bonnie Wagner.
Sandra Roberts -- Surgery Specialty Clinic
Karen Dillon -- Department of Surgery
Connie Beachy -- UI Heart and Vascular Center
Jane Utech -- Nursing - Cancer Clinic
Frank Eischens -- UI Heart and Vascular Center
Classroom Scheduling Team--Responded to the needs of various departments when 53 classrooms and 10 buildings were affected by the flood. The team was able to schedule for the summer session, fall and spring, and beyond by collaborating with other campus offices and with unique partners like schools and churches locally. Students could keep current with nightly updates by checking ISIS. Nominated by Larry Lockwood.
Renee Houser -- Registrar’s Office
Char Maher -- Registrar’s Office
Michelle Davenport -- Registrar’s Office
Josh Hutchison -- Registrar’s Office
College of Liberal Arts, Dean's Office--Providing collaborative support to the assistant dean of CLAS , Eugene and Billie facilitated the swift relocation of ten dispersed programs, building renovation efforts, and timely return of a number of the departments to their previous homes. They communicated with departments, Facilities Management and construction companies to coordinate moves and provided a sense of community then, and as CLAS continues to recover. Nominated by Joe Kearney.
Eugene Buck -- CLAS Dean's Office
Billie Townsend -- CLAS Dean's Office
College of Liberal Arts, IT Group--Fourteen members demonstrated remarkable coordination in moving 370 computers, affording alternative spaces for computer access to maintain the work of the colleges, relocating 70 CLAS systems to ensure summer session and departmental operations could resume after only a week of suspension, and helping to move computers back into buildings for fall semester or to locations far flung in need of alternate network facilities. Nominated by Joe Kearney.
Aletia Morgan -- CLAS IT Group
Rick Bennett -- CLAS IT Group
Ben Earnhart -- CLAS IT Group
Janet Erickson -- CLAS IT Group
Scott Frederick -- CLAS IT Group
Mike Hendrickson -- CLAS IT Group
Bob Irwin -- CLAS IT Group
Dianne Jones -- CLAS IT Group
Jamie Matthews -- CLAS IT Group
Kathy Moon -- CLAS IT Group
Steven Ross -- CLAS IT Group
Paul Schroeder -- CLAS IT Group
Jenifer Steil -- CLAS IT Group
John Winget -- CLAS IT Group
Division of Performing Arts—The monumental task of emptying the basement of the Theatre Building of costumes, offices, props, electrical and mechanical equipment was followed by the necessity that was supported by the estimate of the Corps of Engineers to vacate the first floors of Theatre and Music buildings including many pianos. Most of the inventory was saved due to the efforts of these staff, and ensured that school could begin on time. Nominated by Kayt Conrad.
Cheri Arneson -- Performing Arts
Joel Boyer -- Performing Arts
Eric Burchett -- Performing Arts
Barbara Croy -- Performing Arts
Leslie Finer -- Performing Arts
Kathy Forbes -- Dance
Rod Hanze -- Performing Arts
Bonnie Jenkins -- Performing Arts
Ojin Kwon -- Performing Arts
Cindy Kubu -- Performing Arts
Kellie Kucera -- Performing Arts
Don Ladd -- Performing Arts
David McGraw -- Performing Arts
Joyce McKinley -- Performing Arts
Judith Moessner -- Performing Arts
Mike Nolte -- Performing Arts
Sue Orhon -- Performing Arts
Kathy Reeves -- Performing Arts
Rita Schmidt -- Performing Arts
Kim Stange -- Performing Arts
Kate
Thompson -- Performing Arts
Rebecca Tritten -- Performing Arts
Margaret Wenk-Kuchlbauer -- Performing Arts
Pauline Wieland Plowman -- Performing Arts
John Winget -- CLAS IT
Duplicate Check and Merge Team devised a rule engine that determines if a match already exists or that the record just inputted should be reviewed or that a new record should be made. This improvement has engendered additional uses including the development of processes that feed information in the prospecting system easily. Nominated by Ed Hill and Karen Knight.
Ken Nickels -- ITS - Admin Information Systems
Jay Paulsen -- ITS - Admissions
Steve Jaeger -- ITS - Admin Information Systems
English Department Support Staff -- To be able to provide support to the English Department faculty and 1100 students for a smooth summer of classes, a budget closing, and planning for the next year while moving from EPB as it flooded, to Schaeffer Hall in the interim, and a rapid return to EPB to start the fall semester, the support staff accomplished it all through their flexibility, adaptability and initiative. Nominated by Jonathon Wilcox.
Gayle Sand -- English Department
Elizabeth Curl -- English Department
Erin Hackathorn -- English Department
Sharry Lenhart -- English Department
Lynne Nugent -- English Department
Cherie Rieskamp -- English Department
Linda Stahle -- English Department
Inpatient Standards of Excellence—Six multidisciplinary specialty groups developed 14 standards with goals, tactics and measures to improve patient and family experience at UIHC inpatient units. Current implementations include: communication white boards in every patient room, hourly nursing rounds, formal leadership rounding, scripting and the use of Universal Tactics. Nominated by Joelle Jensen.
Steven Nelson -- Pharmacy
Diana Lundell -- Joint Office for Marketing and Communications
Vicki Ibarra -- CQSPI
Joelle Jensen -- Nursing MSS Division
Jay Cayner -- UIHC Administration
Rebecca O'Rourke -- UIHC Administration
Kim Chamberlin -- Nursing
Randall Aitchison -- CQSPI
Scott Wilson -- Internal Medicine
ITC Print Accounting Team – When faced with the need to replace an ITC print service, this team introduced print release stations that allow you to confirm a job (including a delete function that saves 600,000 pages a year) and offer printing from anywhere service supported by a convenient billing system. Nominated by Timothy VanFosson.
Jamie Matthews -- College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Administration
Jeff Reuter -- College of Business-Stead Technology Service Group
Jayne Keiser -- Finance & Operations, Purchasing
Susan Beckett -- COE_Engineering Computer Network
Apryl Betts -- College of Law-Information Technology
William Bacher -- ITS - Systems & Platform Administration
Feather Lacy -- ITS-Campus Technology Services
Marianne Holton -- ITS-Campus Technology Services
Ryan Lenger -- ITS-Campus Technology Services
Timothy VanFosson -- ITS-Campus Technology Services
Les Neu -- ITS-Campus Technology Services
Bradley Gunnells -- ITS-Campus Technology Services
Scott Leeman -- ITS-Campus Technology Services
School of Art and Art History-- As lab coordinators in Sculpture and Metal Arts, these individuals worked with OPN Architects, Facilities Management, and faculty and administration to design studio facilities in the former Menards in ten days. Since then, they have ordered and installed apparatus from foundry equipment to CNC 3-D printers. In addition, they developed solutions for other areas- Ceramics and Painting. As examples of confident, resilient staff they inspired others in the school. Nominated by Steve McGuire.
Tony Sutowski -- School of Art and Art History, Sculpture
Ben Anzelc -- School of Art and Art History, Metal Arts
WIT (Workplace Improvement Team). Technical Network Services of ITS had employee feedback from a 2007 survey that pointed to several areas of concern regarding understanding departmental finances, training, employee perspective of management, and employee perspective of self. The WIT (with rotating staff participation) took the lead on a number of initiatives towards improving the above—from brown-bag lunches to regular employee-supervisor meetings to participating in leadership training. The TNS workplace climate has dramatically improved supported by the departmental "communication creed". Nominated by Mark Katsouros.
Thayne Lowman -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Jo Josephson -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Nancy Grout -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Wendy Wortman -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Jerry Lamb -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Robert Davis -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Wayne Guyer -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Barry Priest -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Joyce Craig -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Paul Garcia -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Chris Hatland -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Andy Millson -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Gil Perez -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Rich Adams -- ITS-Telecom & Network Services
Family Care Center—Red Team members are initiating strategies to enhance the patient experience: pre-visit planning “huddles”, providing prescriptions and educational material to the patient room at end of visit, offering cards with Red Team information so patient may ask directly for them when they call, streamlining process and responsibility for patient paperwork, etc. These strategies have spread to other areas and clinics, and staff now look to the Red Team for improvements. Nominated by Jane Hummer.
Tina Pacha -- Family Medicine Clinic
Anita Northrup --
Family Medicine Clinic
Ashley Kurka -- Family Medicine Clinic
The Improving Our Workplace Award is a partnership of Organizational Effectiveness, Staff Council and University of Iowa Community Credit Union.
Questions? Email nancy-noyer@uiowa.edu or call 335-0560.