UNews - John Kometz

President's Awards celebrate outstanding service

trevor.kenney — Fri, 06 May 2016 19:58:50 +0000

The President's Awards for Service Exellence were handed out at the annual Long Service Awards & Retiree Recognition celebration on May 4, 2016, and once again they reflect some of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's most outstanding individuals and teams.

The award winners are listed below.

Teaching Centre Staff - Team

Said to be one of the most positive and upbeat places on campus, the Teaching Centre is home to a team that consistently provides exceptional service and support to those who teach at the U of L. Committed to customer service and creating a sense of ‘home’ on campus for instructors, the Teaching Centre is a highly valuable, yet rarely celebrated, resource that enhances the teaching experience and the impact our teaching staff has on students.

The Teaching Centre staff form a powerhouse; each member performs a crucial role to support the whole. First point of contact Jill Payant organizes events, triages questions and concerns; provides administrative assistance and all other duties as assigned; Bernie Wirzba and Victoria Holec strive to improve the effectiveness of learning environments; John Kometz and Alyssa Di Rocco support and keep Moodle and other technologies running; Tyler Heaton evaluates and supports classroom technologies; Brad Reamsbottom organizes events and works collaboratively with Glenda Martens to develop the many publications of the Teaching Centre such as the ‘Light on Teaching’ Magazine; Todd Doucette's work in video production has expanded the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s reach into the broader Lethbridge community through his Ed Talks TV show airing regularly on Shaw; Doug Orr and Jeff Meadows' work with faculty, graduate students and instructors to provide support for their teaching; and David Hinger’s remarkable leadership empowers those he works with to take initiative and go above and beyond their job requirements. This is a group of individuals fully dedicated to teaching excellence and customer service.

This remarkable team provides exceptional service to the community, works together to help advance one of the central functions of this university, and is committed to innovation and leadership. All this is done with a spirit of professionalism, enthusiasm and genuine passion for this institution.

Rosemary Howard - APO

A proud ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduate, Rosemary Howard (BASC ‘73) began working full time in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library in January of 1973 and shortly thereafter moved into the Interlibrary Loan department.

Rosemary has led the interlibrary loan team at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for more than 40 years. She works diligently to find research, articles and books for students and faculty members. Rosemary is known for her ability to acquire the “almost impossible” for members of the university community. She has requested and received interlibrary loans for very rare and difficult-to-locate materials, found titles in foreign languages, and found and requested items from libraries all over the world. Rosemary is quite the detective; it is a rare request that goes unfilled. She can track down incomplete citations, make sense of improper bibliographic information and find items that have been mis-shelved for years. She leaves everyone with the feeling that she and her team did everything they could to meet the research request.

The technology in libraries has changed dramatically since the 1980s. This is no less true than in the field of interlibrary loans. From a world of paper catalogues, fax machines and postal mail, to one that employs integrated systems to deliver content directly to email inboxes, Rosemary has moved with the times. Through all the changes, she has adapted and evolved with the environment — learning and mastering the new technologies critical to successful outcomes in her work to become one of the best in her field.

Jadranka Smiljanec - AUPE

As a housekeeper with Housing Services for 30 years, Jadranka (Jay) Smiljanec is an unsung hero who demonstrates an inspiring work ethic and positive attitude. She truly cares for the students who live in residence, and takes on physically demanding tasks to ensure the health and well-being of our residents. Her efforts have a direct impact on the reputation of our institution, and are deeply connected to resident satisfaction and success.

Since joining the Housing Services team in 1986, Jay has witnessed tremendous growth and change at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. From one residence building with 200 students living on campus to seven buildings housing more than 1,000 residents, Jay continues to arrive every morning with a smile on her face and the resolve to tackle the never-ending task of keeping residence clean. Jay has been quoted as saying, “I do love what I do because of the ‘before’ and ‘after’. I feel so much better just seeing it all clean.”

When asked about working with Jay, colleagues all share similar experiences —they are warmly welcomed, respected and appreciated. Jay has provided both professional training and valuable life lessons with hundreds of housekeeping employees, and is a true constant in an industry with high turnover rates.

Jay truly cares for residence students and contributes positively to on-campus student life. She treats our students as her own family and treats our living spaces as if they were her home. She is a motherly figure and a tremendous role model for residents and Residence Assistants.

Jay is someone you meet and never forget. Between her naturally welcoming presence, her willingness to go out of her way to smile and say hello, and her highly sought-after baklava, she is integral to the residence experience and the Housing Services team.

Aaron Tamayose - APO

As manager of the Accommodated Learning Centre, Aaron Tamayose (BA ’09) serves students with enthusiasm, caring and open-mindedness. Aaron ensures students are connected to learning supports, receive necessary accommodations and have access to a myriad of funding resources. He works tirelessly to guarantee that all students supported by his team are treated equitably, with esteem and dignity.

Aaron is thorough, patient and compassionate; he is able to quickly assess when adaptations are needed in a variety of situations. His passion for assisting people is apparent when interacting with students of varying disabilities and mental health concerns. In fact, Aaron treats everyone — students, parents and employees — with integrity and respect regardless of circumstance.

A passionate alumnus, Aaron is deeply committed to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. From his determined quest for knowledge to his ambitious involvement with multiple committees and organizations, Aaron's professionalism and dedication to the U of L is exemplary. Some of the groups Aaron is involved with include: the People Plan, Disability Parking working group, multiple subcommittees for mental health programs, co-chair of the Harassment and Discrimination consulting group, and the anticipated Integrated Post-Secondary Experience Program.

In addition to the work arising from his position and his volunteer responsibilities, he is actively pursuing a master's degree in counselling psychology.

President's Awards honour exceptional performance

trevor.kenney — Wed, 06 May 2015 17:36:25 +0000

Each year, the President's Awards for Service Excellence recognize individuals and teams throughout the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge who epitomize the exceptional service and personalized approach that is a hallmark of the U of L experience.

The awards are presented annually to a member of the APO group, AUPE, and a recognized team. The winners for 2015 are as follows.

President’s Award for Service Excellence – AUPE: John Kometz

John Kometz

For the last 15 years, John Kometz has played a pivotal role in enhancing teaching and learning at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge through the use of innovative technology. As an educational consultant with the Teaching Centre, he provides superior educational technology support to faculty and staff at the U of L.

Using his considerable technical and pedagogical expertise and experience, he has helped faculty members leverage a variety of technological tools, including Moodle, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s learning management system, as well as WebCT and Blackboard. Thanks to his support and advice, faculty members have been able to improve the quality and intensity of their courses by increasing the breadth and depth of material they can cover, and by more effectively assessing the abilities of their students. Exceedingly knowledgeable in the technical aspects of learning technologies, he is consistently able to solve problems and devise new solutions that enhance the learning experience in the classroom.

Kometz and his team support over 600 courses in Moodle each semester, and he consistently displays a high level of professionalism in these interactions. He approaches all questions or requests with incredible responsiveness, and always provides carefully considered solutions. This indicates that his extensive technical acumen is matched by considerable compassion and remarkable people skills. Many people know John for his exceptional commitment to the Pronghorn Paddlers Dragon Boat team in addition to being widely acknowledged by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ staff as a helpful and knowledgeable resource who provides indispensable technological and pedagogical guidance.

President’s Award for Service Excellence – APO: Isabelle Gauthier

Isabelle Gauthier

As veterinarian and head of Animal Care Services at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Isabelle Gauthier has done an outstanding job of optimizing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s approach to animal research and laboratory animal care. Thanks to her stewardship, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ boasts a highly professional animal-care facility, and comprehensive protocols for ensuring animal research is conducted in an ethical and systematic way.

Gauthier has developed and implemented robust new guidelines to protect the health and safety of research animals. She has instituted an electronic animal-tracking program that enables researchers to see every animal in their research programs. She has helped develop a new course that deals with the ethics of animal handling. She has also developed a training program for all new incoming personnel at the facility to ensure its operations run smoothly.

Through her involvement in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience’s safety committee, Gauthier strives to achieve a safe work environment for her team. On the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s health guidelines subcommittee, she has helped develop strategies to improve the health of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ staff. She has also shared her expertise in laboratory animal care to help develop the animal facility for the future science and academic building as part of the Destination Project.

Isabelle Gauthier is a skilled research facilitator whose bright ideas and problem-solving skills help improve the quality of animal research.

President’s Award for Service Excellence – Team: ChiChi Cameron, Linda Gilbert and Kim Skura

Linda Gilbert, Kim Skura and ChiChi Cameron.

Comprising the Faculty of Arts & Science’s powerhouse team of administrative professionals, ChiChi Cameron, Linda Gilbert and Kim Skura consistently perform above and beyond our expectations, providing unfailingly exceptional service to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ faculty, staff and students as well as the external community.

Cameron, Gilbert and Skura serve one of the largest and busiest Faculties on campus – the Faculty of Arts & Science, which has more than 300 instructors, professors and staff at three campuses, and serves 6,000 students annually – and they consistently perform their work with promptness, skill and efficiency. They excel at carrying out their essential duties, including organizing timetables for the faculty, conducting graduation and prerequisite checks for all Arts & Science majors, staffing committees and managing Salary, Tenure and Promotion requirements, not to mention keeping three Associate Deans and the Dean of Arts & Science organized.

In addition to their considerable talent and effort, Cameron, Gilbert and Skura also maintain an upbeat and productive attitude. They always provide warm and friendly service to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. They never fail to make visitors or callers feel welcome, and always make time to assist individuals seeking information or needing to meet with the Dean. As the faculty has grown and evolved over the years, they have shown remarkable resilience in how they adapt to new situations, roles and responsibilities.

ChiChi Cameron, Linda Gilbert and Kim Skura also bring the same dedication and enthusiasm to their respective community volunteer commitments, actively sharing their time with various organizations.

Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:44:43 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is holding its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 9 at 1 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms.

A total of 103 employees, including 20 retiring employees and those who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service, will be honoured.

All employees are invited to the ceremony and reception to honour the award recipients listed below. The reception will include light refreshments.

Retirees

Nola Aitken, Pat Anderson, Bill Cade, Maria Draper, Carol Gaetz, Mary Anne Hellinga, John Johnston, Cindy Kabelka, Frank Klassen, Michael Kubara, Christina Lastuka, Rita Law, Kathy Lee, Marg McKeen, Bruce McMullin, Shari Platt, Charlene Sawatsky, Richard Tedesco, Barbara Wolstoncroft and Joan Zimmer

Long Service Recipients

40 Years

Lois Boras and
Jean Mankee

35 Years

Barbara Dickinson, Heather Mirau and Brian Parkinson

30 Years

Rene Barendregt, Annette Bright, Peter Heffernan, Barb Hodgson, Kurt Klein, William Krysak, Judy Lacey, Phill Lema, Valerie Richardson, Kim Selk and John Vokey

25 Years

Candace Dueck, John Eng, Frank Klassen, Sheila Lowe, Fiona Randle, Thomas Staples, Greg Tompkins, Kelly Vaselenak, Peter Visentin and Diana Young

20 Years

Lynn Ambedian, Robin Bright, Naomi Cramer, Mary Dyck, Rod Gelleny, Michael Kern, Judith Kulig, Rick Peter, Robert Runte, Sandy Slavin, Maxine Tedesco and Jeff Vucurevich

15 Years

Dwayne Armstrong, Mara Baldwin, Kerry Bernes, Lesley Brown, James Clark, Tom Doyle, Larry Flanagan, Carolyn Gaebel, Cam Goater, Bradley Hagen, Rob Johnson, Ed Jurkowski, Angela Luck, Goldie Morgentaler, Dan O'Donnell, Kent Peacock, Brent Selinger, Marlo Steed and
Nicole Wilson

10 Years

Peter Alward, Christine Anderson, Ebenezer Asem, Roberto Bello, Shawn Bubel, Kris Caldwell, Michael Campbell, Connie Chaplin, John Claassen, Melanie Collado, Dagmar Dahle, Alesha Farfus-Shukaliak, Bev Garnett, Daya Gaur, Joanne Gedrasik, Betsy Greenlees, Trevor Harrison, Linda Janz, Sharon Kanashiro, John Kometz, Igor Kovalchuk, Olga Kovalchuk, Bette Jo Kulak, James Linville, Douglas MacArthur, Claudia Malacrida, Kyla McFadden, Jacqueline Montain, Mandy Moser, Bob Muskovich, Janice Newberry, Tammy Paskuski, Jill Payant, Wilf Roesler, Edward Sandzewicz, Daryl Schacher, Darren Schell, Arlan Schultz, Daniela Sirbu, Debbie Tarnava, John Usher, Derek Vincent, Bernie Wirzba and Cindy Yee

UNews - John Kometz

President's Awards celebrate outstanding service

Related Topics

President's Awards honour exceptional performance

Related Topics

Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

Related Topics