PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 21, No. 17, April 4, 2002

Seven honored with Chancellor's Distinguished Staff Award

Seven employees have been selected to receive the Chancellor’s Distinguished Staff Award, which recognizes exceptional performance and service to the UI.

This year’s banquet will begin at 5:30 p.m. April 15 at Peabody Drive Residence Hall. It was originally scheduled in March but was postponed because of the weather. People planning to attend the banquet should make reservations by April 10 by contacting Cindy Reed at 333-3105 or creed3@uillinois.edu.

At the honors banquet, each recipient will be awarded $2,000 and a plaque. Recipients’ names also are inscribed on a plaque displayed in the Personnel Services Office.

Permanent staff employees with at least two years of service or retired employees in status appointments can be nominated for the award by staff or faculty members or students.

A committee appointed by the chancellor recommends finalists; the campus director of Personnel Services, the vice chancellor for administration and human resources and the chancellor give final approval.

Listings of this year’s finalists and previous years’ winners are available on the Web at www.pso.uiuc.edu/cdsa.

Steven R. Buck, research technologist III, Committee on Natural Areas

Photo by Bill Wiegand Steven R. Buck

"What Steve Buck has accomplished since he was hired in July 1994 has been nothing short of miraculous," said May Berenbaum in her nomination letter.

The mission of the Committee on Natural Areas, according to Berenbaum who also chairs the committee, "is to acquire and maintain land tracts and other natural areas that support field research projects within the life sciences."

As the principal staff member of the CNA, Buck manages the sites under the direct supervision of the committee chair. He is responsible for the daily management and physical maintenance of the sites, staffing the office, working with the university community and nearby landowners and conducting research at the sites.

"Buck has gone way beyond what the job requires in every conceivable way," Berenbaum wrote. "It’s difficult to imagine that there are many people on this campus, or anywhere, for that matter, equally comfortable conducting prairie burns, installing a fence, assembling computer databases, advising students on experimental design and execution (in campus programs ranging from ornithology to landscape architecture), designing and constructing a building, disking a field, repairing a tractor, confronting trespassing hunters, lecturing to classes, keeping accounts and planning budgets, and writing a grant to secure funding for land acquisition."

In addition, since his arrival, the collection of sites the Committee on Natural Areas manages has grown from six sites comprising 370 acres to 11 sites totaling 932 acres.

And thanks to his resourcefulness, Buck has established two functioning field stations at two of the committee’s most important and heavily used sites.

Elizabeth A. Determan, secretary IV
Edwardsville Extension Center UI Extension

Photo by Bill Wiegand Elizabeth A. Determan

"Elizabeth Determan could easily serve as the executive secretary for any CEO in the country," wrote UI Extension educator and center coordinator Robert C. Bellm in his nomination letter. "For 27 years, she has provided outstanding service to UI Extension."

As UI Extension secretary IV at the Edwardsville Extension Center, her duties include prioritizing and distributing workflow within an office housing eight Extension professional staff; monitoring the center’s core budget, individual professional staff budgets, as well as grants and contracts; compiling statistics for annual reports, plans of work, and special evaluation studies; creating databases and records to facilitate efficient operation of the office; designing and creating diverse types of educational materials in a variety of formats; interviewing, training, coordinating, and evaluating other clerical staff; and assisting the center coordinator in the efficient operation of the center on a daily basis.

Wrote Bellm: "Liz uses the latest technology to create high-quality visual aids for the professional staff. She prepares more than 50 major presentations annually, using print, digital, and Web-based media. Her design skills improve the readability and appearance of newsletters, promotional brochures, fact sheets, and PowerPoint presentations.

In addition, Determan has taken the initiative to gain proficiency in new technology as it becomes available. She is beginning the process of developing the center’s Web page into a readily accessible and useful educational tool for clients.

Determan’s secretarial skills are so valued that currently, at the request of the associate regional director, she is implementing and evaluating a pilot program to mentor new secretarial staff hired within Extension’s southern region.

Sally A. Eakin, staff clerk
Graduate School of Library and Information Science

Photo by Bill Wiegand Sally A. Eakin

"For 23 years, Sally Eakin has served as a highly valued staff member of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science," wrote Linda C. Smith, interim dean of GSLIS, and Dorlene A. Clark, assistant to the dean, in their joint nomination.

"The scope of [Eakin’s] duties and responsibilities has risen almost exponentially, yet Ms. Eakin consistently performs at the highest possible standard while continuously providing unparalleled service and uncompromised product quality. She is flexible, focused, well organized and dedicated to each and every task that is put before her. She is a critical thinker who identifies potential problems, takes proactive measures, and offers positive suggestions," Smith and Clark noted.

High on Eakin’s list of accomplishments was her assisting the school in two moves – first relocating from the Main Library to David Kinley Hall and then to the newly remodeled Library and information Science Building. "She was instrumental in coordinating the day-to-day details of a major renovation, lasting nearly two years, which essentially doubled the size of LISB. The complexities of the task were enormous and often required the ability to engage widely disparate groups into united action."

In addition, Eakin was called "an extremely positive role model, guided by a strong work ethic and the sense of fairness."

Her nominators also note that "Ms. Eakin’s heart is large, open to all, and guided by her desire to show kindness to others."

They noted that her "high regard for detail amidst constant distraction and interruption shows through in every task she undertakes. Her efforts make GSLIS look professional, sophisticated and inviting," they said.

Kathleen A. Hahn, secretary IV, Development and Alumni Relations, College of Applied Life Studies

Photo by Bill Wiegand Kathleen A. Hahn

"Kathy Hahn] is an integral member of the development and alumni relations team," Sara Kelley, assistant dean for development and alumni relations, wrote in her nomination letter.

Hahn assists in the overall management of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations (ODAR) in the College of Applied Life Studies, which serves approximately 13,000 constituents.

Her duties include providing clerical support for all alumni/donor events, direct mail and telemarketing campaigns, major gift proposals, making travel and other arrangements for visits to donors, stewardship, and publications. This position has significant contact with other units on campus and with the public.

Among her many talents, Hahn was praised for being an excellent editor, being able to juggle many projects at one time and is noted as a tremendous asset for event planning. In addition, she is a key component in helping to gather, track and analyze data about ALS alumni and donors. "Not only can she run specific downloads for correspondence and other mailings, but she is able to research information that helps the college better understand how to engage its alumni in the life of the college," Kelley said.

Recently, Hahn has assumed responsibility for generating all donor thank-you letters from the dean and department heads (approximately 1,500 annually). Her expertise has added greatly to the quality of the college’s stewardship program.

Kelley noted, "My predecessor fondly referred to Kathy as ‘Radar O’Reilly’ [from the television series, M*A*S*H] and there is good reason. She is always one step ahead of me."

John W. Kammin, building service foreman, Division of Operation and Maintenance

Photo by Bill Wiegand John W. Kammin

"John Kammin’s excellent attitude and work ethic have had a positive effect

not only on all the employees with whom he comes into direct contact but also, through his many training commitments, it extends to nearly all departments across this campus," wrote Carl R. Townsend, assistant superintendent of building services in his nomination letter.

Kammin supervises nine employees who perform the daily custodial work in Wohlers Hall and David Kinley Hall. In addition, for the past 12 years he has been responsible for the initial training of all the building service workers in Building Operations.

Kammin also is an integral part of two other training programs. The oldest training program is one that involves training Learner BSWs. Learners are employees who require additional help in mastering the custodial work skills approved by the department. Starting in August, Kammin has been involved in the training of 15 Vietnamese and Laotian Learners. Since only a few of the Learners speak English, John has devoted extra time to train these employees as well as to acclimate them to the U.S. culture and working environment. He also comes in early several days each week to attend an English skills program with these employees.

The second of the two training programs is "Strategies for Success" classes, based on Zig Ziglar’s program to promote positive attitudes not only on the job but in one’s personal life. "His commitment to this program shows his concern that each BSW has an opportunity to excel in his professional and personal life," Townsend said.

Nancy E. Luker, library technical specialist, University Library

Photo by Bill Wiegand Nancy E. Luker

"[Nancy Luker] exemplifies the truism that by simply doing the very best job a person can possibly do and caring for the needs of your patrons and co-workers, a ripple of excellence can reverberate through the university," wrote Margaret A. Lewis, library technical assistant, Mathematics Library.

As a library technical specialist working in the Technical Services Division of the University Library, Luker is a member of the Serials Cataloging Team with primary responsibility for maintaining journal records and maintaining links between library bibliographic records and library holding records. It is the job of Luker and her co-workers in library cataloging units to create and maintain records in the library’s online catalog.

"The quality of this information determines how easily our users can find the information resources they need and how well we can track charging and discharging transactions involving our library materials," Lewis said. "Without good bibliographic control, and without correct and accurate links between bibliographic records and circulation records, the resources of the University Library would be impossible to find and use."

Lewis noted that she and her co-workers at the Mathematics Library have started calling Luker "The Fix-It-Up Chappy" because of her excellent troubleshooting skills. "She can be interrupted at any time and is always in a good and responsive mood," Lewis said. Although the library system is relatively new, Luker has learned the system thoroughly. "She fixes our cataloging problems, while at the same time recognizing that we need to understand how things work and she takes the time to teach us so we can be more effective in our jobs," Lewis said.

Kenneth D. Snell, building service worker, Division of Operation and Maintenance

Photo by Bill Wiegand Kenneth D. Snell

"Kenneth Snell always strives for excellence in his work and is easy to work with," said Tracy Osby, public function supervisor, Building Service Operations in the Division of Operation and Maintenance. "He reflects all the values that O&M looks for in a good employee."

Snell was hired as a building service worker in the Building Operations Section at Operation and Maintenance in March of 1989. "Since that time, he has worked with distinction in numerous assignments for our operation," Snell said. "Currently, he is assigned to clean in the Undergraduate Library on the ‘Deep Night Shift’ [11 p.m. to 7 a.m.]. Because of the high traffic in this building, Mr. Snell’s job frequently presents one challenge after another."

The routine elements of his job include carpet vacuuming, carpet extracting, restroom cleaning, office cleaning and maintaining the high standard of daily maintenance throughout the Undergraduate Library."

Snell’s perfect seven-year attendance record was only broken when his wife was ill last fall. During part of her illness he continued to work his shift even though he had been at her side at the hospital the entire day and evening.

In a letter of support, Mike Sullender, building service foreman, said: "Mr. Snell meets and exceeds the goals and objectives of the Building Operation Section, allowing the UI to achieve its academic mission in a clean and healthy environment. Anytime I ask Mr. Snell to help with a project, he happily completes the project on time and with excellent results. … He sees what needs to be completed and gets the work done. His knowledge and expertise is a valued commodity."