Chris Kitchen/University Photography

2016 recipients of the Bartels Award for Custodial Service Excellence, front row, and scholarship recipients, past awardees, the Bartels family and Facilities Management staff gather at the Dec. 20 recognition event.

What is a decade?

In Bartels’ years, it is recognizing 58 Building Care staff with the Bartels Award for Custodial Service Excellence, and providing scholarships for 15 Building Care staff and 44 children of department staff.

Phil Bartels ’71, his wife Susan and their daughter and Cornell University Council member, Katie Bartels ’06, returned to Cornell to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bartels awards and scholarship program, Dec. 20 in Call Auditorium. They joined Vice President KyuJung Whang; former director of Building Care Rob Osborn and his wife, Mary Beth; and Facilities Management leadership to recognize the work of about 400 Building Care staff, hand out awards to six custodial and housekeeping staff members, and present one staff member and 10 children of staff members with scholarships.

Osborn gave a brief history of the program, which was developed shortly after Katie Bartels graduated from Cornell as a result of the thoughtfulness shown to students by custodian Craig Beaver. The first awards were given in February 2008; the Bartels endowed the award program in 2009, when they also established and endowed the scholarship program.

The Bartels Award is given annually to six custodial and housekeeping staff members with at least five years of service, nominated by their managers for their strong customer service orientation, reliability, team-building and communication skills, technical knowledge, support of the Cornell mission and positive attitude. Awardees also receive a certificate of recognition and a monetary award.

This year’s awardees were:

• Carla Bishop, who according to her nominators, excels in mentoring and supervision; promotes a climate of inclusion, motivation and empowerment; and always is upbeat and smiling.
• Annette Bartlow, who is known for providing outstanding customer service, volunteers for Commencement and helps prepare Sage Chapel and Anabel Taylor Hall for special events. “We would be lost without her,” said one nominator.
• Kenneth Tate, who has received many compliments over the 10 years he has worked at Cornell with determination and passion and is called by many “the best custodian I have ever seen.” He works on the night shift crew for Teagle Hall.
• Lisa Boettcher, who has worked 36 years in Building Care and takes care of the A.D. White House. Her nominators say she has a cheerful, “can-do” disposition, pays attention to detail and is well-liked by her co-workers and staff.
• Bonny Johnston, now a lead custodian, who is “always willing to jump through hoops,” is able to multitask and has great communication skills and follow-through. She works alongside her staff to ensure the work is done well.
• Jennifer Mathewson, who her nominators say, “exceeds expectations,” is smart, generous, effective and a dedicated leader. She became the department’s workloading software expert, handling a presentation on that program “like a seasoned pro.”

Julie Parsons, Facilities Management events coordinator, recognized the children and staff members receiving scholarships: Stephanie Naylor (father, Greg); Luke Babel (father, Ron); Ciara Tallman (father, Pedro Collazo); Sarah Adsitt (father, Rob); Tia Soprano (mother, Lou Luce); Tom and Dan Schmitt (mother, Kelley); Shelby Hill (father, John); Savanah Padgett (mother, Amanda Holmes); and James Williams (father, James). Carmelo Melice received the employee scholarship.

Parsons updated the Bartels on three former scholarship recipients: Marissa Ferguson, who received the scholarship in 2015 and is attending SUNY Delhi; Dan and Tom Schmitt, Corning Community College students who also received scholarships this year, and whose mother wrote, “the scholarship was a huge relief”; and Jason David, who received the employee scholarship in 2012 and wrote, “there is no dollar amount anyone can place on the value of my son and daughter watching me go to school and getting my degree.”

“We are immensely proud of our scholarship recipients, and infinitely thankful to the Bartels family for making it happen,” Parsons said to the Bartels. “Thank you for the impact you have, the inspiration you offer, and the care you give.”