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March 28, 2005
Awards of Distinction 2005

Congratulations to the winners of the 2005 Awards of Distinction. These 10 individuals were honored at a March 23 ceremony, where each was presented a plaque and a $500 U.S. savings bond by President Jim Wagner.

STEVE DONEY
GRADY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Doney "has made tremendous contributions to the Department of Medicine" in issues ranging from billing to patient care, said nominator Carlos Del Rio, chief of service at Grady Hospital. Doney diligently and consistently tracked down and corrected the bottlenecks and breakdowns in the billing process," had a leadership role in the department's strategic planning process and developed a system of reports to improve staff education. In his four years as administrator, Doney has faced a number of structural deficiencies within the department, but instead of blaming his predecessors, he "stepped up to the challenge" and attacked all problems that came his way, Del Rio wrote.

DEB HAMMACHER
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS
Hammacher's "consistent and outstanding initiative, innovation and leadership" have helped build Emory's burgeoning reputation in the national arena, wrote nominator Nancy Seideman, assistant vice president of public affairs. A staff member of the Emory Scholars Program and sixth-year FAME adviser, Hammacher has a deep investment in forming relationships with the students she represents to the media. Nominator Ronald Schuchard, Goodrich C. White Professor of English, said Hammacher also is "dedicated to discovering and publicizing the newsworthy activities ... of faculty members to enhance the image of Emory in the public domain."

ANN HULTON
HEAD OF SYSTEMS AND MEDIA SERVICES, WOODRUFF HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER LIBRARY
Hulton's unflagging dedication to providing the Emory community with the health resources they need qualifies her as "one of the best," said nominator Bonita Ryan, head of Access Services. The E-Journals Working Group, which Hulton co-chairs, was presented with a Quality Service Award by Woodruff Library last June, and the project continues to grow in size and popularity.   Hulton also developed the library's intranet system and has been coordinator of the MedWeb catalog since 1999. An "innovative thinker and excellent project manager," Hulton plays an integral role in the health community.

GREGORY KABLE
MANAGER OF SYSTEMS AND IT, DIVISION OF ANIMAL RESOURCES
Kable's innovative thinking has increased efficiency, cut costs and smoothed out the wrinkles in the Division of Animal Resources (DAR). He recently completed the daunting task of switching from a manual to electronic inventory system, reducing processing time and increasing accuracy. He also improved card access to facilities and worked on the merger of DAR and Facilities Management (FM) systems, which resulted in substantial cost and time savings. Nominator Michael Huerkamp, DAR director, described Kable as "humble and yet confident in his own abilities," a man who loves Emory so much "he almost refuses to take a vacation."

ANITA RANSOM
OFFICE MANAGER, CENTER FOR LIFELONG LEARNING
Ransom's work in training the Emory Center for Lifelong Learning's (ECLC) work-study students, who serve as customer service representatives, has "revolutionized the way we recruit, train and develop our growing team," said nominator Steve Stoffle, executive director of ECLC. After organizing the center's student job fair participation, Ransom set about professionalizing her group of 15 students by developing an intensive training program that can be used for years to come. Her passion for her job resulted in a program that gives students a greater role in the Emory community and presents a positive and professional image for the center.

DEREK SPRANSY
COMPUTER SUPPORT, EMORY COLLEGE
Spransy's initiative as chief computer security officer has effectively addressed the recent spike in security incidents.   Nominator Carole Meyers, director of academic computing, said the reason for Spransy's success is his sophisticated understanding of both technical problems and the culture of the faculty and students he serves. His dedication to computing security is coupled with his full workload as a desktop consultant, a job he performs so well that "Whatever you say, Derek" is a common response from users. Despite his youth, Spransy is a leader by nature who is dedicated to improving computer services, Meyers wrote.

MAUREEN THOMPSON
HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICER, YERKES PRIMATE RESEARCH CENTER
Thompson oversees the safety of nearly 500 faculty, staff and students, as well as more than 3,600 non-human primates and 5,000 rodents, with such high standards and efficiency that Yerkes not only meets but often exceeds the requirements set by regulatory agencies. Her success springs from the trust Yerkes employees place in her, her ability to guard against the unexpected, and her grace under pressure, explained nominator James Else, associate director of animal resources. Thompson approaches her work with "exemplary dedication and professionalism, as well as personal warmth and an inspiring love of her work," Else wrote.

ERAN TOMER
ELECTRONIC SERVICES COORDINATOR, GENERAL LIBRARIES
Tomer has effectively led major projects to streamline library policies, enhance library security and improve the online catalog by "remaining sensitive to the needs and perspectives of the many groups involved," wrote nominator Linda Matthews, vice provost and director of libraries. As project manager for the User ID Conversion Project, he coordinated the work of numerous departments ranging from Human Resourses to the Information Technology Department. His service is characterized by the "remarkable level of communication and collaboration" between the many campus libraries and departments, Mathews said, and a focus on often overlooked work in customer service improvements.

MICHAEL WALLACE
HVAC INSTRUMENT TECHNICIAN, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Over his 31 years at Emory, Wallace has risen from his beginnings as a laborer through six hard-earned promotions to his current role as technician. A founding member of the FM Social Committee, Wallace is a well-loved figure on campus. His concern for the safety of his colleagues is evident in how closely he works with them to prevent accidents, and his initiative to take on tasks was clear in his presentation on the ChillerCheck program at the 2003 Educational Leadership Facilities Forum. He received the Employee of the Quarter award in 1995 and 2004, and was FM's Employee of the Year in 2004.

AUDREY WILSON
CUSTODIAN, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Wilson's strength as a member of the Emory community lies in "character traits that simply can't be taught," said nominator Joe Ducato, supervisor of building services. With smiles and hugs, she goes well beyond the minimum for customer satisfaction and sets a shining example as "a dedicated and dependable employee." She was a nominee for the Sam Brown Award and FM Employee of the Quarter, and has been recognized many times for her service. Still, the greatest testament to her work is the stream of letters from deans, faculty, students and parents of graduates thanking her for her hard work and radiant personality.

 

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