Outstanding staff members recognized

May 6, 2011 | News, UToday
By Vicki L. Kroll



Eleven employees were honored at the University’s 2011 Outstanding Staff Awards ceremony held Thursday on the Scott Park Campus of Energy and Innovation.

William Logie, chief transition officer and vice president for human resources and campus safety, spoke at the event, which honored 54 nominees from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2415; the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4319; the Professional Staff Association (PSA); and the UT Police Patrolman’s Association (UTPPA).

The top winners from the four groups each received a basketball signed by the WNIT Champions, a reserved parking space for one year, Toledo Mud Hens tickets, restaurant gift certificates, a one-year newspaper subscription, and a new history book about The Blade. They were:

Pollacek

Pollacek

AFSCME — Alison Pollacek, physical therapist, UT Medical Center Outpatient Rehabilitation. She has worked at the University for six years. “Ali is the kind of therapist who goes the extra mile to promote the well-being of co-workers as well as patients,” a nominator wrote. “She engages those around her with a smile and presents herself as an approachable, compassionate individual. She works to make others know their worth and value.” Another wrote, “Ali inspires me with her positive attitude and exceptional work ethic. She has taken on the huge task of organizing our department’s student clinical rotations, coordinating a lunchtime exercise group, and attends committee meetings all while having a full-time patient clinic schedule. While others complain, she always finds the bright side.”

Munoz

Munoz

CWA — Rosa Munoz, custodial worker in the Health and Human Services Building. She has worked at UT since 2001. “Rosa has impressed everyone with the quality of her work and her positive and professional manner. Our floors our spotless, and the washrooms are always maintained and that is quite an accomplishment when thousands of students use the facilities each day,” one nominator wrote. “With fewer employees each year, there is more work placed on current staff. This does not stop Rosa from cleaning areas that are not part of her responsibility. When she sees a need, she tackles each one without hesitation or complaint.” Another wrote, “Her work standards are high and it shows. We feel blessed to have Rosa taking care of us.”

Klett

Klett

PSA — Dan Klett, director of space planning. He has worked at UT since 2002. “Dan is first and foremost a loyal member of the UT community. He consistently puts what is in the best interest of UT as a beacon to guide decisions in his work,” one nominator wrote. “Dan looks at problems from a variety of ways to best understand how to develop an optimal solution. He is a team player and his willingness to collaborate with others has yielded some innovative outcomes.” Another noted, “He is routinely the first in the office and last out. Every day with his work ethic and friendly demeanor, he sets a great example and provides what we all consider a great work environment.”

Mattimoe

Mattimoe

UTPPA — Officer Mike Mattimoe, who has been with the UT Police Department since 1992. “Police officers are called upon to keep the law and maintain the peace. You can only do that by leading by example, and I feel Mike does that very well,” one nominator wrote. “Police officers are held to a higher standard because of their title. Not everyone is cut out to handle some of the situations that arise. It takes someone with skills and training and temperament to maintain a professional attitude day in and day out.” Another noted, “Mike has taken a lead role within his department on defensive training and tactics as a firearms instructor. This keeps all officers qualified and capable to defend others and themselves if needed.”

Honorees from each group also received a copy of the history book, gift certificates to local restaurants, Toledo Mud Hens tickets and jewelry. They were:

AFSCME — Diana Durliat, coordinator of the Body Donation Program in the Department of Neurosciences, and Joan Mulligan, admission analyst 2 in the College of Graduate Studies.

CWA — Sally Grether, secretary in the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, and Karen Papadakis, administrative secretary in the Department of Pharmacology.

The Human Resources Department received a new team award during the event, and there was a tribute to William Logie, center kneeling, who will retire in June.

The Human Resources Department received a new team award during the event, and there was a tribute to William Logie, center kneeling, who will retire in June.

PSA — Susan Cuffee, international education specialist in International Student Services, and Michelle Giovonoli, technician manager in Radiation Oncology.

UTPPA — Nate Pool, senior law enforcement officer.

In addition, a new team award was presented to the Human Resources Department.

And on behalf of the staff, there was a special presentation to honor Logie, who will retire June 30. His leadership following the merger and his help re-engineering the administration were mentioned.

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