The School of Industrial and Labor Relations held its 2018 Employee Recognition Ceremony May 15 in the ILR Conference Center.

Kevin Hallock, the Kenneth F. Kahn ’69 Dean and Joseph R. Rich ’80 Professor of Economics and Human Resource Studies, handed out the honors, which included three Employee Recognition Awards, faculty awards and certificates for 32 staff members serving five and more years of service.

Reading excerpts from their nominating letters for Employee Recognition Awards, Hallock recognized:

• Ellen Fitchette, administrative assistant in the Department of Organizational Behavior, who “truly makes ILR a great place to work … . She is friendly, warm, organized and efficient.”
• Jenn Morley, marketing communications specialist. Morley “has innovative ideas, pushes our department to learn new skills and be creative; she gets things done without being prompted [and] she makes the people around her better at their own jobs due to her work ethic and attention to detail.”
• Jenn Weidner, registrar and Office of Student Services associate director, whose “‘can-do’ attitude and interest in finding solutions to our workplace challenges make her an excellent colleague and an asset to ILR.”

Criteria for the Employee Recognition Award include making the school a better place to work by going beyond normal job requirements; demonstrating commitment to lifelong learning through completion of certificate programs or degree requirements; innovation in services, technology or research; significant positive impact on student experience; contributing to the well-being of the employee population through outstanding service or sustainability activity; and suggesting ideas that result in significant cost savings or revenue enhancements.

Employees with five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 35 years of service received certificates of service.

• Recognized for five years of service: Tonya L. Eiklor, Katherine K. MacDowell, Theresa Mohabir-Pennella, Karen T. Siewart, William E. Stringer and Ellice Switzer;
• 10 years of service: Donald M. Bazley, Melissa Burress, Mary Catt, Joe Grasso, Michael Haflett, RuthAnn Heath, Silvia Andrea Medina, Susan A. O’Neil, Stephanie Sutow and Michael C. Tsipouroglou;
• 15 years of service: Brenda L. Bennett, Gwyneth L. Dobson, Ellen Fitchette, Edward Martinez, Jennifer Lynn Morley, Donna M. Ramil, Nathan Reimer and Susan Sappington;
• 20 years of service: Sandra I. Acevedo, Michael C. Culunio, Victor M. Diaz, Kevin F. Harris and Veronica A. Moore;
• 25 years of service: Jo Hagin and Lisa E. Rose; and
• 35 years of service: Katherine L. Roberts.

Video clips about Hagin, Rose and Roberts highlighted the significance of their dedication to ILR.

Faculty excellence was also showcased at the event, with four faculty members receiving awards. The MacIntyre Award for Exemplary Teaching was given to JR Keller, assistant professor, Department of Human Resource Studies, and Emily Zitek, assistant professor, Department of Organizational Behavior. Receiving the Robert N. Stern Award for Teaching and Mentoring were Ariel Avgar, associate professor, Department of Labor Relations, Law and History, and Allison Weiner Heinemann, visiting faculty, Department of Labor Relations, Law and History.

Joan Roberts is a member of the communications team at the ILR School.