Holding the ceramic falcons that are presented to B.G. Best honorees are (left to right) Ann Bowers, Linda Hamilton, Jan Ruffner, Laurel Daman (back), Joyce Blinn, Mary Beth Skelly, Tim Carney, Florence Klopfenstein, Sheila Coressel and Darlene Thomas.

Administrative staff honors B.G. Best

They are the hard workers, the creative thinkers, the innovators and campus role models. They are the B.G. Best, those administrative staff members whose colleagues have singled them out for recognition for their outstanding commitment and efforts to making BGSU a better place.

On March 22, 10 staff members and two employee teams were so honored at the annual Administrative Staff spring reception.

They include:

Joyce Blinn, assistant director of academic enhancement and Study Skills Laboratory coordinator, has taught reading/learning skills courses for several years and linked them to other courses—sociology, biology and psychology, for instance—to promote connected learning for students. She has also compiled a list of academic vocabulary to help acclimate first-year students. Her nominator called her a “careful listener and collaborator,” and a “generous colleague” who has hosted an annual potluck for her co-workers and has nominated many peers for awards. Her seniority “gives her a perspective and a level-headedness,” adds the nomination, “yet Joyce is also alive with new ideas, which indeed assist BGSU students of the 21st century.”

Ann Bowers, interim director of the Center for Archival Collections, described by her nominator as a “hardworking, considerate and compassionate person.” Known for her leadership on campus, she is also widely respected for her professional knowledge. Her service to many state, regional and national organizations has advanced the preservation and accessibility of important records and historical documents. Her service to the University includes teaching and advising students and helping raise funds for BGSU. Additional duties and budget responsibilities have not “dampened her enthusiasm and willingness to help,” her nominator wrote, and by all she does, she enhances the reputation of the center and BGSU.

Tim Carney, assistant director of residence life for operations, who has responsibility for the facilities management of campus residence halls. To create a healthy and safe living environment for BGSU’s 7,000 on-campus students, he must collaborate with parents, students, maintenance and custodial staff, hall staff, off-campus contractors and other entities such as the fire department, the state fire marshal and the health department. His strength lies in his ability to build these collaborative relationships, balancing competing needs and demands. “Tim works so well with people because of his demeanor and personality,’ his nominator wrote, always modeling a positive attitude that enables people to overcome adverse situations and see possibilities in improbabilities.

Sheila Coressel, hall director, residence life, who has “shown an amazing ability to organize, manage and create energy and excitement about the recruitment and training of resident advisers on our campus,” according to her nominator. Through her efforts during her two years as chair of the Resident Adviser Committee, the number of students applying to be resident advisers has doubled. “Through Sheila’s vision and leadership the application, selection and training of resident advisers has become streamlined and systematic,” her nominator wrote, and the turnover rate has decreased dramatically.

Laurel Daman, head of the costume shop in the theatre department (or, as described by her nominator, “costume shop goddess”), noted for her “get it done” attitude. Understanding that each part of a production is crucial to the success of the whole, her commitment to excellence benefits not only the costume shop but the entire department. She frequently spends nights and weekends at work, and is an important part of the team. “Furthermore, by filling her need for creativity, she allows others to fill their need,” her nominator wrote.

Linda Hamilton, director of budgeting in the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration, who “crosses the boundaries” of the award criteria in her demanding job, her nominators wrote. “By virtue of her position, she is administrator and manager, predictor and planner, and sometimes—given the volatility of the state’s budget—juggler and magician,” they wrote. Yet through it all she remains good-humored, dignified and undaunted in her commitment to success. A person of “energy, strength and foresight,” she brings honesty and integrity to her work and personal relationships each day.

Florence Klopfenstein, manager in University Dining Services, described by her nominator as the “epitome of commitment to the Bowling Green campus community.” Klopfenstein, a BGSU alumna, brings creativity to her job, organizing new and unusual events for students, staff and the community. A regular volunteer for programs such as Springboard, Dance Marathon and the telephone welcome campaign for new students, she is also one of the most avid supporters of the Falcon women’s basketball program.

Jan Ruffner, director of purchasing, characterized by her nominator as a “rarity in today’s business world. She can be tough when the situation calls for it, but she has a big heart and truly cares for her staff and associates.” A strong believer in teamwork, Ruffner includes all staff in her bimonthly meetings and solicits participation by all. She encourages employees to continue their personal and professional growth. Professionally, she is committed to providing opportunities for diverse companies to do business with the University, and has been a mentor in the Partners First Program.

Mary Beth Skelly, associate director of academic enhancement, who works to make “Students First” the defining motto of BGSU. Her nominator wrote that, despite Skelly’s lengthy job description, her primary responsibility as she sees it is to listen—to students, staff and colleagues. She works tirelessly to “provide each individual she encounters the tools for a successful career.” Her research into retention issues has led to the initiation of grant programs designed to help pre-major students decide their area of interest, and she has worked with the University Success program, Enrollment Network and the Academic Support Council, among others. She has collaborated with colleagues across campus to enhance advising services, increase student awareness and institute good policies.

Darlene Thomas, director of student services in the College of Arts and Sciences and former academic adviser who, in both roles, has sought to improve the quality of student services. An innovative thinker, she has been instrumental in initiating and implementing many programs and in making current ones function more smoothly. She has worked with the athletic department to recruit student-athletes and was instrumental in hiring a medical doctor to help with the academic advising of pre-med students. Her ability to be creative is useful in a position in which “unusual situations sometimes seem more the norm than the exception,” her nominator wrote.

The team awards were presented to the Counseling Center’s full-time administrative staff and the e-time core implementation team.

Among the Counseling Center staff recognized with a B.G. Best award were (left to right) Rebecca Conrad Davenport, Mark Krautheim, Elizabeth Yarris and Bai-Yin Chen. Other honored staff members are Claudia Clark and Catherine Kocarek.

The Counseling Center psychologists—Claudia Clark, Rebecca Conrad Davenport, Catherine Kocarek, Mark Krautheim and Elizabeth Yarris—and psychology resident Bai-Yin Chen have found time over the past year, despite a record number of student emergencies and devoting countless hours to counseling, consultation and outreach, to pursue a number of new initiatives. These include developing a workshop series on men’s issues; establishing an international organization, the Association for Size Diversity and Health; creating a post-doctoral internship program; developing a system for tracking suicidality among students, and creating an online faculty guide to help students. The staff is energetic, positive and generous with their time, their nominator wrote.

The B.G. Best-winning e-time core implementation team included (left to right) Mike Failor, Jim Stainbrook, Michelle Simmons and Jeff Nelson. Sandra White was the fifth team member.

Developing an electronic timekeeping system for student workers was the charge of the e-time core implementation team, co-chaired by Jeff Nelson and Jim Stainbrook, directors of the University bookstore and business office, respectively. Other team members were Michelle Simmons, associate director of the Career Center; Mike Failor, a systems analyst in Information Technology Services, and Sandra White, administrative assistant in the payroll office. “This group exemplified all of the core values while providing increased service to both supervisors and student workers,” wrote one nominator. “There are no more paper timesheets to fill out and add up (or lose and re-create). Individuals and supervisors can check online for the number of hours worked, and each supervisor received training and individual help as necessary.”