At the apex of every stone archway a wedge-shaped stone unites the two sides, allowing the arch to stand whole and strong. At the base of monumental buildings, a cornerstone is laid to commemorate the date of construction.

It makes sense, then, that an organization that deals with buildings, Facilities Services, should recognize the contributions of its staff to the division with the Keystone and Cornerstone awards. Along with Employee of the Month awards, they were presented at the Facilities Services Rewards and Recognition Program July 9 in Weill Hall.

"The departments within FS have always recognized staff accomplishments with the Golden Bear, PDC Bridge, Bartels Award for Custodial Service Excellence and William Morris awards," said Kyu-Jung Whang, vice president for facilities services. "But we have never had a divisionwide award. As a result of our strategic planning last year, we established an awards and recognition committee, and they developed the awards we are presenting today."

The peer-nominated Facilities Services Employee of the Month awards are given to employees who accomplish something exceptional and who exemplify FS values: truth, respect, excellence, teamwork and integrity. Steve Little, Utilities and Energy Management, received the April award; Carl Hoaglin Jr., Courier and Garage, the May award; and Dan Hildreth, Utilities and Energy Management, the June award.

Receiving cornerstone awards:

• Mike Allinger and John Brisbois, for effectiveness improvement. Providing program and database support for Administration and Operations, they recently produced a detailed Web site highlighting active construction projects.
• David Newman, Bob Stundtner and Brian Brown, all of PDC Capital Projects, for distinction in teamwork. They have delivered some of the nation's most technically advanced research facilities on time and under budget, and have developed productive relationships with contractors.
• Darlene Hackworth, PDC Project Management, for developing others. She was nominated by Darrell Reynolds, who has worked with her on the University Health Services Facility project.
• Spring Buck, Transportation and Mail Services Administration, for campus and community service. Buck is known for her customer service and serves on Tompkins County's Environmental Management Council and other campus and city committees.

The Keystone Award is the highest honor given to an individual or team in FS, and is bestowed for excellence in service to the organization and for high-quality work. This year's Keystone Award went to the Office of General Construction. Pat Redder, Deborah Redman, Jami Shoemaker and Jamie Sisson have delivered more than 65 projects totaling over $7.5 million in the past two years. They are credited with saving money for Cornell, meeting customer expectations and helping the Shops become a more successful organization.

Mary Opperman, vice president for human resources, thanked awardees for their efforts and accomplishments. "In a time when so many things are changing, it is important to take time to recognize each other and to remind ourselves of how our work relates to Cornell's broader mission. Your work is acknowledged by your peers: what you do and how well you do it do not go unnoticed," she said.