1996 Chancellor's Distinguished Staff Award Winners

The 5,500 staff employees of the UI make daily contributions toward the
goals of the university. From cooks to clerks, technicians to typists,
machinists to mail messengers - each helps to make this university among
the best.

Eight of these employees were honored last week as recipients of the
Chancellor's Distinguished Staff Awards for their exceptional
accomplishments and service to the university. Each received  an
appreciation plaque and a $2,000 cash award.

Nominations may be made by any member of the campus community: staff and
faculty members - whether a co-worker or supervisor - or students. Nominees
are evaluated by a selection committee and approved by the campus director
of personnel services, the vice chancellor for administrative affairs and
the chancellor. 


F. Donald Block
Associate Director, Food Service,
Housing Dining Services

"The UI owes an enormous debt to Don for his consummate professionalism.
Don was key to the success of approximately 60 special events involving
10,000 guests who visited the President's House [last year]. He was
tireless in his pursuit to make each event unique and exquisite. ... From
designing a gingerbread house resembling the [UI] president's residence for
a Christmas event to creating an ice sculpture for a tent party in the
backyard, Don gave his all."
-Marnie Fuesting, special assistant to the secretary, Board of Trustees Office

"Equally important, [Don] oversees the provision of nearly 18,000
board-plan meals daily. ... [He] has been a principal architect of the 15
specialty restaurants that are so very popular among residents of the
halls. In fact, he continues to grill outdoors at "Don's," our well-known
steakhouse that attracts nearly 1,400 students every Wednesday evening."
-George Shoffner, director, Housing Division



Carol K. Franzen
Administrative Secretary,
School of Music

"Carol continually demonstrates excellence in her overall work performance.
For many years, she almost single-handedly has run the
enrollment/registration process for the School of Music, involving this
year more than 700 students, more than 80 faculty members and about the
same number of teaching assistants, and 200 courses (with multiple sections
totaling 400!). She [also] recently assumed the responsibility of
coordinating the on-line registration process for the school."
-Don V Moses, director, School of Music

"Her contributions to the life and well-being of the School of Music are
immeasurable. ... She is remarkable in her ability to handle complexities,
respond to crises and manage diverse situations (often simultaneously). In
addition, she does this while maintaining composure, and conveying a sense
of caring about the individual that reassures all who come to her, whether
faculty, staff or student."
-Eunice Boardman, chair, Graduate Studies in Music Education



Peggy R. Hills
Administrative Secretary,
General Engineering

"Peggy is relentless in seeking ways to better promote the image of the
department of general engineering. She looks for ways to improve
publications from our office, sprucing up our building, or ways to enhance
how we are perceived to the corporate world."
-Maureen A. Krauss, coordinator, alumni relations and development

"Peggy now has responsibility for coordinating the marketing of the senior
design course to potential industrial sponsors and development of
promotional materials, coordinating student and faculty travel to
industrial sponsors, coordinating and monitoring all purchases for senior
design, maintaining accounts for the overall course as well as individual
projects, and coordinating space for presentations and laboratory work. ...
While this is a great amount of responsibility that she carries, she
performs these duties with enthusiasm, style and a keen sense for quality,
for she is the first-line representative of the university to our
industrial sponsors."
-Thomas F. Conry, professor and head, department of general engineering



Harold M. Hinz
Building Service Worker, Operation and Maintenance Division

"Harold is a one-on-one trainer for newly hired BSWs and takes this part of
his job very seriously, following to the letter the Building Operation
Manual. Harold treats each trainee with respect and encouragement. His
positive attitude and personal knowledge of the job ... sets the stage for
productive and motivated new BSWs."
-Rebecca L. Wilsey, building service worker, Operation and Maintenance Division

"Harold Hinz is a self-motivated, conscientious, concerned person ... working
11 p.m. to 7 a.m. ... Harold is always doing more than is expected. For
example, he will walk through the public areas of the entire building to
make sure everything is up to standard even when he is only responsible for
a couple of floors. He does a lot of spot cleaning that no one notices but
it has an impact on the appearance of the building. Harold is [also] very
concerned about the safety and well-being of his co-workers."
-John Kammin, foreman, building service, Operation and Maintenance Division



Rich Pankau
Refrigeration Mechanic, Operation and Maintenance Division

"The Housing Division serves over 7 million meals a year and most of the
food passes through the Housing Food Store. It is essential that the
ammonia refrigeration system be kept in top working order. ... Rich has the
primary responsibility for monitoring and maintaining this equipment ...
[which] involves working in adverse conditions. For the most part, it is
done in a minus 20 degrees F environment or a hot mechanical room that
could turn deadly at any minute if a serious ammonia leak occurred. Rich
takes this responsibility very seriously and handles it in a professional
manner."
-Stan C. Kiser, associate director of housing for residential services

"Rich has performed work that has brought attention and distinction to the
department/university ... As renovations [to a new freezer system] were
brought on-line, Rich has solved many problems in the design of the box and
ventilation systems that the engineers had overlooked. His effort has
improved the efficiency of the freezer while saving everyone time and
money. This has impressed the engineer and others."
-Kevin E. Shipley, housing maintenance inspector, Housing Division



Richard Rodgers
Fire Prevention Training Officer,
UI Fire Department

"I have known Dick Rodgers since I came to the UI in 1981 ... While in
residence life, I found Lt. Rodgers to be tireless and very enthusiastic
while working with students and staff in an effort to promote safety
concerns in the densely populated residence hall system. His regard for our
students was apparent in his never-ending efforts to create a safe living
environment for our students and staff."
-Richard W. Justice, associate dean of students

"Lt. Rodgers also has gone a long way in helping the members and officers
improve their EMS skills and leadership ability, as well as to encourage
them to achieve their career objectives. He does this first and foremost by
example. Lt. Rodgers joined the fire department soon after completing high
school. Since that time, he has worked his way through both his bachelor's
degree and the Master of Business Administration program. He provides all
of the officers with an example of level-headed leadership."
-Melissa M. Reiher, vice president of
operations, Illini Emergency Medical Services



Andrea "Andi" Sloniger
Secretary IV, Division of Instructional
Development, Office of Instructional Resources

"Andi's work truly has a campuswide impact. Perhaps the greatest impact
arises from her role as the chief administrative coordinator for the twice
yearly All-Campus Teaching Assistants Orientation and the International TA
Orientation. These two programs reach some 800 teaching assistants each
year. Andi also coordinates the campuswide post-orientation services of the
division, scheduling the six annual follow-up workshops, the videotaping of
new TAs during the semester, and the conferences that new TAs hold with DID
staff."
-Thomas A. Heenan, specialist in education, teaching associate and
SPEAK/ITAOR coordinator, Division of Instructional Development, Office of
Instructional Resources

"[The TA orientations] are an essential aspect of teaching and learning on
this campus. How they are viewed and experienced are integral to their
success and reputation. Typically, they are the first experience the
graduate student participants have when they arrive on campus. É Andrea
Sloniger has made sure that first impression is one that represents the
professionalism, congeniality, seriousness, positiveness and warmth of our
great university."
-Marne G. Helgesen, head, Division of Instructional Development, Office of
Instructional Resources



David Bryan Teets
Instructional Communications Technical
Operator, Office of Instructional Resources

"Dave is a consummate professional who takes great pride in the quality of
his work. He is always on time and takes suggestions for improvement and
even criticisms well, and uncomplainingly. He is conscientious about
[important] details ... such things as choice of lenses and masks, keeping
apertures clean, making reel changes as smoothly as possible, and proper
adjustment of volume, sound quality and light level. Whenever there are
technical problems (which is very often) Dave goes to extreme lengths
(perhaps more so than any other technical operator on the staff) to find
solutions."
-Robert L. Carringer, professor of English and of cinema studies

"Dave is the best specialist we have ever had, whether for projections,
film inspections, repairs of machinery and films. He thinks on his feet,
keeps calm and is a great problem-solver. Many times he has saved the day
by performing improvised repairs when our machines break down. ... He keeps
his cool, is patient and persistent, and does not give up."
-Edwin Jahiel, professor of French and of cinema studies; director, Unit
for Cinema Studies