Finance & Administration Presents the 2nd Annual Excellence Awards!

Brenda Alexander
Carolyn Farr-Onuora
Cinthia Leech
Connie Thorbs
Darlene Bunt
David W. Fiser
Debra Simpson-Webster
Derick Edwards
Johnnie Adams
Kyle Francisco
Lanita Shepherd
Mary Worthy
Regina Wade-Carter
Russ Riegel
Shawn Bayouth
Steevan Novero
Stephanie Ferguson
Ted Grimmett
Thomas Morris

Amy Frets
Carolyn Farr-Onuora
Jennifer Crosland
Joseph F. Abbate
Lanita Shepherd
Marilyn Thompson
Mary Worthy
Mike Smith
Nancy Reithoff
Noel Johnson
Regina Wade Carter
Sheri O’Brien
Stephanie Ferguson
Taiwana Kennedy

Amy Frets
Desiree Taggard
Greg Tatera
Katrina Christopher
Michele Curd
Regina Wade Carter
Rommel Benjamin
Taiwana Kennedy
Valarie Abrams

Anna Jimenez
Bill Buddenberg
Bud G. Tillman
Leslie Hutchins
Lisa Shellito
Matthew Morton
Noel Johnson
Shawn Bayouth
Sheri O’Brien
Taiwana Kennedy

Allen Stanley
Amy Frets
Brian Keltch
Bud G Tillman
Jerry Ganz
Jesse Ball
Katrina Christopher
LaTonda Williams
Leslie Hutchins
Marilyn Thompson
Regina Wade Carter
Sandra L. Vail
Vanessa Whitman

Andrea Davis
Angela Parham
Deana Warner
Elliana Dutchover
James Johnson Jr.
Mackenzie Tillman
Tonya Washington

Allen Stanley
Bud G. Tilman
Dale Fonville
Jennifer L. Crosland
Greg Tatera
Mary Worthy
Matthew Morton
Michael Seamon
Osibee Johnson
Sheri O’Brien
Vanessa Whitman

This year we invite all UA Little Rock employees to nominate their colleagues who work in one of the following F&A departments:

• Bursar’s Office
• Procurement Services
• Facilities Management
• Financial Services (includes the offices below)
  • Payroll
  • Accounts Payable
  • General Accounting
• Budget Office
• Human Resources
• IT Services
• Public Safety
• Mail Services
• Printing Service

Nominations were open until Tuesday, May 16th, 11:59 pm.

Each employee could nominate one (1) colleague for each of the following awards categories:

• Excellence in Customer Service (2 awards presented)
• Excellence in Operational Efficiency
• Excellence in Collaboration
• Excellence in Continuous Improvement
• Excellence in Leadership
• Newcomer of the Year
• Employee of the Year

Nominations will be submitted through the following form: Finance & Administration Excellence Award Nomination. Employees may submit more than one nominee (one in each of the seven categories listed above) but may only submit ONE NOMINEE PER CATEGORY.

• The Awards Committee will be comprised of 4 to 5 respected senior UA Little Rock staff members (a list of committee members will be released at a later date).
• Committee members will review the eligible nominees and select those whose service to the campus community is deemed most deserving of the award in the category they were nominated.
• In the event of a tie vote, our Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Jerry Ganz, will review the nominees and cast a tie-breaking vote.

A person who excels in customer service is someone who establishes and maintains positive and effective working relationships with fellow staff, faculty, students and internal/external customers in some of the following ways:

• Demonstrates excellence in resolving conflicts and/or when facing challenges.
• Consistently and substantially demonstrates an ability and willingness to work positively, respectfully, and effectively with others.
• Dedicated to improving customer satisfaction, exceeding expectations and reacting appropriately to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Extremely conscientious in ensuring customers receive the guidance and answers they need in a timely and courteous manner.
• Continuously exceeds expectations when providing assistance to customers.
• Displays initiative and resourcefulness when troubleshooting problems and/or complaints.

This includes contributions that make a measurable impact on the work environment. Examples that contribute toward efficiency include:

• Develops new and creative ways to reduce waste.
• Develops solutions to use fewer resources, time, and money for tasks.
• Improves effective performance management processes.
• Improves efficiency by improving service to stakeholders (such as students, parents, alumni, and employees).
• Transparent and assistive regarding financial aid and other student support resources for traditionally underrepresented stakeholders.

An effective collaborator works effectively with others to produce positive results. This person may approach their work in the following ways:

• Solicits diverse views in completing projects.
• Establishes effective partnerships across multiple levels of the organization.
• Builds consensus in decision-making.
• Shares knowledge or information contributing to group success.
• Increases success of team(s) through the process of cooperative problem-solving.

This employee shows dedication to process improvement and continuous innovation in the following ways:

• Shows a commitment to streamlining processes.
• Builds and applies knowledge to quality management.
• Initiates and improves long-term strategies.
• Committed to the professional development of themselves and others.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of improvement methodologies and applies them in their professional life.

A strong leader demonstrates a unique ability to guide and inspire others, which in turn contributes to the effective and efficient functioning of the college. Both managers and non-managers may possess, and make evident, strong leadership in the following ways:

• Inspires and encourages personal and professional development in others.
• Builds strong relationships that support a high level of trust and credibility.
• Adapts readily to new situations.
• Effectively persuades others using keen organizational awareness.
• Mentors and cultivates employees, creating a culture of respect that fosters an atmosphere conducive to achievement.
• Contributes to the success of an initiative that benefits those outside their own department and/or places emphasis on collaboration within and among departments.

This award recognizes a staff member who has joined our VCFA team within the past year and has shown themselves to be exemplary in ways such as:

• Implements an idea, program or procedure designed to enhance or improve upon processes.
• Demonstrates outstanding service, initiative, and/or achievement.
• Contributions provide a significant benefit specifically for the VCFA units, as well as the campus.
• Assists in student recruitment, retention, and engagement.

This employee consistently demonstrates exceptional job performance, leadership, innovation, and inclusive excellence in ways such as:

• Consistently exhibits outstanding performance in all areas of their job in an exemplary manner that is recognized by others.
• Inspires leadership in their area, department, VCFA unit and/or campus at large (if applicable). This employee need not hold a management role.
• Shares an efficiency they created within their job with others in similar roles in other units or other colleges within the UA System.
• Shows innovation through the development of new ideas.
• Excels in creative problem solving.
• Adapts well to change and embraces it.
• Engages in professional development opportunities.
• Has a positive attitude and outlook.