Employees honored for deeds, dedication

The university family came together Oct. 22 to celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding staff members at the annual Employee Service and Recognition Awards Ceremony.

“This is the time we can recognize the excellence that you bring everyday to making a difference in the lives of so many people in the community, particularly our students,” said President Mark B. Rosenberg, to a full house of faculty and staff in the Graham Center Ballrooms.

Employees marking service milestones of 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, 25 years, 30 years and 35 years were honored for their contributions to university life, as were employees who retired during the previous calendar year.

This year the Division of Human Resources received a record 309 nominations for the university’s recognition awards: FIU Achievement Award, FIU Sustainability Award, FIU Knowledge Award, FIU Opportunity Award, FIU Torch Award, FIU Community Award, President’s Access & Equity Award, and the Presidential Excellence Award.

Below is a list of 2010:

FIU Achievement Award: Presented to a full-time temporary employee who has demonstrated FIU’s philosophy of innovative and creative thinking. Winner: Christopher Rodriguez and Ayxa Vecino

FIU Sustainability Award: Presented to an eligible employee who promoted FIU’s respect for the environment, modeled ways to achieve climate preservation, and capitalized on the economic opportunities of the solutions developed. Winner: Marilys Nepomechie

FIU Knowledge Award: Presented to a full-time staff employee, or group of full-time staff employees, who served as a role model for the pursuit, generation, dissemination and application of knowledge through professional development, mentorship and/or peer development. Winner: Isabel Ferradas

FIU Opportunity Award: Presented to an administrative employee or group of administrative employees who promoted FIU’s vision of being a top student-centered, urban, public research university by contributing outstanding service to the university or community. Winner: Gloria Jacomino

FIU Torch Award: Presented to an eligible employee who exemplifies FIU’s institutional values of honesty, integrity and truth by exhibiting the highest standards of character and ethical behavior. Winner: Mentors Team- Charles Andrews; William Beesting; Charlie Blackwell; Elizabeth Carillo; Robert Coatie; Sanjay Dhawan; Bianny Fernandez; Miriam Fernandez; Hazel Hooker; Billy King; Sylvia Land; April Lewis; Maria Perez; Reena Ramnarine; Monica Roca; Natasha Stubbs; Janie Valdes; and Elena Woodbury

FIU Community Award: Presented to eligible faculty, administrative, full-time staff or group of employees who fostered innovation through work on a project or program that advanced the university or community during the past year. Winner: College of Arts & Sciences Technology Information- Shawn Blakey; Sekou Joseph; Terrance Marcelle; Jose Mencia; Amir Moatamedi; and Marco Rojas

President’s Access & Equity Award: Presented to a full-time employee who has consistently gone above and beyond his or her job responsibilities to promote and ensure diversity and inclusiveness. Winner: Zachary Trautenberg

FIU Presidential Excellence Award: Presented to a full-time employee, or group of employees, who supported institutional, strategic and operational excellence. 1st Finalist: Worlds Ahead Branding Team- Elizabeth “Sissi” Aguila; Karen Cochrane; Martin Haro; Eduardo Merille; Oscar Negret; Deborah O’Neil; Aileen Solá Torres; and Theresa Witherell. 2^nd Finalist: Dale Gomez. 3^rd Finalist: Elizabeth Bejar. 4^th Finalist: Sylvia Berenguer. And the 2009 winner of the FIU President Excellence Award: Izhar Haq.