2011 Distinguished Staff Awards Announced

Texas Tech recently awarded 15 employees and one department with distinguished staff awards in a ceremony at the Hall of Nations of the International Cultural Center.

The six categories of honor include: the Matador Award, the Masked Rider Award, the Guns Up Award, the President’s Award of Excellence, the Chancellor’s Award of Excellence and the Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award for Execution.

The winners and qualifications for awards are as follows:

The Matador Award is given to a new employee with one to three years of continuous service. These individuals are praised for their innovative, significant and progressed ideas and contributions.

• Heather Bradley, administrative business assistant, International Affairs
• Josh Robinson, unit supervisor, Mass Communications
• Susan Rowe, educations program manager, Museum of Texas Tech
• Linda Whitebread, business supervisor, Mechanical Engineering
• Darren Wibberding, residence life coordinator, University Student Housing

The Masked Rider Award is given to staff members with four or more years of continuous service who have also been in a supervisory position for a minimum of one year. These honorees showcase extra efforts through their accomplishments, timeliness, follow-through and willingness to help fellow employees.

• Don Davis, associate director, Recreational Sports
• Craig Kuehnert, unit manager, University Student Housing
• Stephen Lambert, manager of IT, University Parking Services
• Donna Srader, undergraduate research coordinator, Honors College
• Melissa Wofford, college design specialist, Mass Communications

The Guns Up Award is given to a group who demonstrates exceptional ability to foster collaboration, communication and cooperation among colleagues.

• Academic Testing Services
• Michael Carter, unit manager
• Steve Martin, assistant director
• Kaylyn Dowdy, unit coordinator
• Jana Driver-Caffey, lead specialist
• Jennifer Fidler, lead specialist
• Jeralyn Schwartz, lead specialist

The President’s Award of Excellence is given to individuals who promote their department and Texas Tech’s mission and goals through actions and job performance. They also encourage professional development, fairness and equity in resolving employee and work-related issues.

• Scott Hiemstra, machine shop supervisor, Chemistry
• Shannon Cepica, managing director, IT Help Central

The Chancellor’s Award of Excellence is given to an individual having five years or more of service. This person has enhanced the quality of the workplace in ways that significantly increase productivity and efficiency.

• Joe Arredondo, gallery director, School of Art

The Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award for Execution is give to those employees who best demonstrate the ability to execute and follow up with important projects, and accomplish an objective quickly and efficiently with minimal oversight.

• Treasa Austin, advisor, Health, Exercise & Sport Science
• Brad Thornhill, unit manager, Water Resources Center

Each award includes a cash prize, lapel pen and engraved plaque with an engraved pen/box set.

The award recipients will be honored in a ceremony during halftime at the Texas Tech vs. Iowa State football game.