Arnold honored as President’s Employee of the Year
Jon Arnold, web developer in University Relations in the Office of the President, was honored Wednesday as the President’s Employee of the Year. The award includes a $1,000 prize.
During a reception at 1800 Grant St., System Staff Council celebrated Arnold, other nominees for the annual honor and colleagues who are marking service milestones at CU.
The council’s nominations committee received numerous nominations and selected Arnold after a lengthy review. Notable comments from his nomination packet include:
- “Jon is not only a huge asset to our department, he is an often-sought resource for (and friend to) every system department and employee. Whether it’s a website crash, a form that’s not conforming, a problem with access or any of his vast day-to-day responsibilities, Jon approaches his tasks with skill, professionalism, respect and an amazingly positive attitude.”
- “Through his commitment and dedication, the university has remained well ahead of the curve with regards to the web and communications.”
- “He is continuously looking out for the university’s best interests and thinking up new ways to make the system more efficient.”
- “Jon is a very hard working, committed team member who's always readily available, capable and willing to assist others.”
- “Jon’s strong leadership of the System Administration Web Team (SAWT) perhaps best exemplifies his stellar customer service and commitment to teamwork.”
System Staff Council also recognized the other nominees for the President’s Employee of the Year Award:
Julie Sharpe, UIS – “Julie has consistently been given praises by campus and System leadership alike. She is well liked and asked often to lead cross-team/cross·campus meetings given her demeanor and approach to ensure all voices are heard, while driving the best solutions for CU.”
Connie Johnson, Office of Government Relations – “Connie not only keeps the OGR trains running; she serves as a unifying force within OGR. With half of the OGR team working in Denver and the other in Colorado, Connie is one of the few people in the office who has an awareness of what is happening in both arenas.”
Nitzan Meltzer, Technology Transfer Office – “From day one, Nitzan has been a team player, always willing to do whatever task we need her to do in order to keep the team going. She is willing to learn and ask the appropriate questions.”
Thao Tsuda, Technology Transfer Office – “Thao has demonstrated a high level of commitment to the quality and throughput of her work. Thao maintains a high level of customer service, maintaining professional communication between parties under sometimes difficult circumstances.”
Linda Warren, UIS – “In her capacity as a developer and in providing everyday support and maintenance for the University's Finance System, Linda applies her skills and knowledge to troubleshoot and resolve issues as they arise. She is patient at explaining technical details and really knows how to keep things moving along.”
Kendra Zafiratos, Employee Services – “Kendra is adamant about keeping the email communication with our internal and external customers at an absolute professional level. Kendra is a true example of what customer service is all about!”
During recognition for milestones in years of service, a special posthumous presentation was made in honor of Dave Robles, CU Foundation assistant controller, who died Sept. 5 while on a hike. He was 53.
His wife, Marcy, accepted the award on behalf of her husband, who served the university for 15 years.
See photos from the event here.
Employees recognized for their years of service to CU:
35 Years
- Stuart Littlefield
25 Years
- Lisa Affleck
- Michael Esposito
- Edward Schroeder
20 Years
- Arthur Figel
- David Turner
15 Years
- Lindsey Apodaca
- Rae Armijo
- Bradley Baker
- Jennifer Bosma
- Travis Chillemi
- Ridawn Cummings
- Heather Field
- Margaret Haith
- Sylva Janicek
- Lisa Landis
- Michelle Martinez
- David Robles
- Robert Weverka
10 Years
- Leonid Balaban
- Jeri Barlock
- James Duvall
- Jennifer Green
- Joshua Grudle
- Terry Lee
- Milagro Lobato
- Kevin McCarty
- Michele McKinney
- Sara Missel
- Sean Myers
- Esther Naftz
- David Pierce
- Erin Russell
- Bryn Samuelson
- Katherine Sauer
- Gabrielle Sawusch
- Julie Sharpe
- Tom Smerdon
- David Sprenger
- Thao Tsuda
- Rebecca Weitz
- Kimberly Wendelin
5 Years
- Calvin Anderson
- Geoffrey Barsch
- Houa Cha
- Kathy Chang
- Penny Davis
- Jay Dedrick
- Anne Fleming
- Katy Kotlarcyzk
- Robert Kuehler
- Kristine McNamara
- Chadd Medina
- Sandeep Mekala
- Jennifer Montez
- Isabella Muturi Sauve
- Brynmor Rees
- David Sprouse
- Mary Vellequette