Superior Accomplishment Awards' ceremony honors top UF staff and faculty

May 5, 2010

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — More than 350 employees gathered at the Reitz Student Union’s Grand Ballroom on April 21 for the 2010 Superior Accomplishment Awards ceremony. The annual program recognizes staff and faculty members who contribute outstanding and meritorious service, efficiency and/or economy to the quality of life for students and employees.

The Superior Accomplishment Awards are presented each spring semester for the period covering the previous academic year. Awards are given, first at the divisional level and then at the university level, in the following six categories: Clerical/Office Support, Support Services, Scientific/Technical, Administrative/Supervisory, Administrative/Professional, and Academic Personnel.

Division-level award recipients receive cash awards of $200 each, then compete for university-level awards, which offer eight $1,000 and six $2,000 cash awards.

The following individuals received awards at the university-level, the Superior Accomplishment Awards’ highest honors, and were awarded with a $2,000 check, a commemorative award, and an invitation to the president’s box during an upcoming home football game: Clerical/Office Support, James P. Milford, Office Assistant, Department of Health Education and Behavior; Support Services, Vivian Wallace, Senior Custodial Worker, Housing and Residence Education; Scientific/Technical, T. Michael Dugger, Information Technology Expert, Office for Student Financial Affairs; Administrative/Supervisory, Kathleen Septer, Accountant, Family, Youth and Community Sciences; Administrative/Professional, Victor Garrido, Research Programs/Services, Food Science and Human Nutrition; and Academic Personnel, Dr. James Jay Clugston, Clinical Assistant Professor, Student Health Care Center.

Several individuals received the Jeffrey A. Gabor Employee Recognition Award, sponsored by the Gabor Agency. These employees were awarded with a $1,000 check and a commemorative award. The recipients include Karen C. Frank, Purchasing Coordinator 2 ,Purchasing and Disbursement Services; Melvina Johnson, Custodial Worker, Physical Plant, Building Services; Jamie C. Creola, Museum Operations, Assistant Director 4, Florida Museum of Natural History; and Victor Harrell, Student Affairs, Coordinator 2, Housing and Residence Education.

Recipients of the Willis HRH Employee Recognition Award, sponsored by Willis HRH of Gainesville Inc., were awarded with a $1,000 check and a commemorative award. Recipients include James Woody, Custodial Supervisor, Physical Plant, Building Services; Megan Elliott, Clinical Programs, Coordinator 2, College of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Hospital; Brian A. Owens, Farm Manager, IFAS, Environmental Horticulture; and Kelly Jamison, Child Development Team Teacher, Human Resource Services, Baby Gator.
“The Superior Accomplishment Awards recognize outstanding individuals and their contributions to the university, the community, and the world,” said Paula Fussell, vice president for Human Resource Services. “We are very proud of all the winners and look forward to seeing how they will continue to help UF grow into the nation’s top university. I encourage faculty and staff to take part in the nomination period this fall for the 2011 awards, to recognize their peers and colleagues.”

UF’s Superior Accomplishment Awards Program was developed to recognize deserving university employees. The program is coordinated by the Office of Human Resource Services.

For more information about the Superior Accomplishment Awards, or to view photos from the ceremony, visit www.hr.ufl.edu/awards/saa.