Classified staff awards announced

Each of this year’s five classified staff award winners are willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, whether by finding innovative ways to improve their units or by helping the greater campus and Madison communities.

The awards are administered by Classified Human Resources with support from the UW Foundation, Wisconsin Alumni Association and the Management Institute of the School of Business.

Each award winner will be recognized at a reception hosted by Chancellor John Wiley on Wednesday, April 14.

Roy Dorman
University benefits specialist, Employee Compensation and Benefits Services

Colleagues call Dorman the “ultimate expert on the UW TSA 403(b) program,” a voluntary retirement savings program to which university employees contribute $60 million annually. It’s one of many complicated programs that he explains to university employees on a daily basis.

Kathleen O’Rourke-Benjamin, associate director of Employee Compensation and Benefits Services, says Dorman’s job requires him to provide information that employees use to make major decisions.

She says Dorman approaches every task as if the individual he is dealing with is the most important person on campus, and he demonstrates great patience while helping employees understand a myriad of rules and policies.

“Roy exudes confidence in the message that he conveys, and employees trust the information that they receive from Roy is correct and accurate because he is always well-prepared,” O’Rourke-Benjamin says.

Michael Hinden, professor of English, who sought Dorman’s counsel, mirrors that sentiment.

“He is a good listener and a humane adviser, unflappable under pressure and dedicated to finding the best option for his clients.”

Nancy Hansen
Program assistant, College of Engineering

During her 35 years with the university, Hansen’s consistency, dependability and positive attitude have been unmatched, say her coworkers.

Hansen is a program assistant with the College of Engineering’s Pre-Engineering Program, which coordinates the recruitment, orientation and advising of students who are entering the college after high school. The program helps ensure academic success as students enter one of the engineering departments.

Hansen is the first point of contact for many students and parents, a duty she handles with a positive, upbeat work style, even in difficult situations. Behind the scenes, she has improved the office’s efficiency and problem-solving capabilities.

Don Woolston, assistant dean in the College of Engineering and head of the program, says Hansen’s professionalism is one reason the office won the 2003 Outstanding Institutional Advising Program Certificate of Merit from the National Academic Advising Association.

“She can handle the feistiest parents and the most belligerent students with ease,” Woolston writes.

Gary Kellner
Craftsworker, Kemp Natural Resources Station

Refurbishing the laboratory at Kemp Station may not have come to fruition without Kellner. Kellner spent 18 months finishing projects in-house — carpentry, Internet infrastructure and restoration of staff quarters — so that the remainder of the project could be completed within budget.

Kellner is solely responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the station’s “old and intensely used” structures and grounds. However, his knowledge of research protocols has led him to design and constructadditional tools, including: research plots to assess how deer affect forest development, soil pits that look at the subterranean world, and interpretive nature trails.

Kellner helps conduct syrup-making workshops for people living in the North Woods, one of the station’s most popular outreach programs.

“It is Mr. Kellner’s hard work that makes the Wisconsin Idea a North Woods reality,” says Thomas Steele, assistant scientist in forest ecology and management.

Carlos Martinez
Custodian, Building Services

Whether setting up for an event at the Memorial Union or conducting his daily custodial duties in a systematic and positive manner, Martinez is said to be so skilled at providing customer service that those he has assisted often seek him out again.

Tomas Garcia, Memorial Union human resources director, says Martinez is often faced with the need for quick thinking and fast action, such as when last-minute changes are made to a Union event.

“Carlos immediately identifies the existence and nature of problems. He routinely develops the best alternative solutions,” Garcia says.

An Army veteran who has worked on campus for 18 years, Martinez’s ability has gained the respect of his co-workers, including those who do not speak English as their first language, a barrier he is helping them to overcome.

Martinez also conducts independent outreach, serving as a translator and advocate for individuals in Madison’s Spanish-speaking community when they interact with government agencies.

Martinez assists student groups, including the Alternative Breaks program, for which he orients UW–Madison students planning to work with migrant farm workers.

Martha Querin-Schultz
Program assistant, International Student Services

Querin-Schultz is often the first point of contact for many who visit International Student Services for assistance. Colleagues say she is patient when helping students and always makes sure they fully understand information.

“Martha’s empathetic and enthusiastic approach to greeting students at the ISS service desk goes a long way in promoting a positive workplace,” says Stephanie Cowan, ISS adviser. During the 2003 implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a federal visa monitoring system for international students and visiting international faculty, Querin-Schultz was a compassionate and calming influence.

Colleagues laud Querin-Schultz’s continuous efforts to make the ISS office friendly and welcoming for both students and staff. She improves office efficiency, organizes staff team-building activities, decorates the office with culturally educational displays, and attends campus and community events to support international students.

“It is impossible to mention all the ways in which Martha works to make ISS more efficient and more helpful to those it is meant to serve,” says Tara Harvey, ISS adviser.