Five Selected to Receive WSU Employee Excellence Awards

Post date

3/1/2007

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PULLMAN, Wash. - Five Washington State University employees will receive President's Employee Excellence Awards at the March 23 Celebrating Excellence recognition banquet as part of the university's annual "World Class. Face to Face. Showcase," honoring the achievements of faculty and staff.

The excellence awards recognize outstanding contributions to WSU by classified and administrative professional employees from across the state. Each recipient is awarded a plaque and $2,500 provided by the WSU Foundation. Nominations focus on employee efforts toward increasing the productivity of the unit; innovative problem solving; positive working relations with students, the public and co-workers; and community service.

Those selected to receive this year's awards are:

Christie Alexandre-Zeoli, a cheese maker at the WSU Creamery, who was commended by nominators for her advocacy for and mentoring of the student employees she supervises and for her passion for cheese making. They said her efforts have improved the creamery work environment --- helping make it safer, more professional and more productive. She is enrolled at WSU and works part time as production supervisor. In her community of Uniontown, Alexandre-Zeoli has helped coordinate efforts to develop the Dahmen Barn arts project. She has a booth in the barn where her paintings are on display.

Sandi Brabb, assistant director of the WSU Neuroscience Program in Veterinary and comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology and Physiology, was cited for her organizational and administrative skills, which are put to work in recruiting and advising students, helping faculty with curriculum, grant application and budgets, and coordinating student club and outreach activities. Nominators describe her as a hardworking, loyal team player willing to tackle and succeed at whatever challenge presents itself. Brabb is credited with helping to build the neuroscience program, for mentoring those she supervises, and for instituting a program in which WSU students serve as recruiters in their local communities when they're home on break.

Lynn Buckley, principal assistant, educational leadership and counseling psychology, was praised by nominators for the stability she lends her department. Employed by WSU for more than 25 years, she has made herself a valuable resource to new faculty. She was commended also her efforts to organize special programs for the department and the College of Education.

Gary Frost, custodian of Todd Addition, is responsible for the upkeep of 42,600 gross square feet of campus building --- the equivalent of more than
17 2,500-square-foot homes. Nominators said he keeps the area clean and sparkling and commended Frost for always being on top of the details - like replenishing toilet tissue rolls and even emptying used coffee filters.
They noted he manages his time so well that he routinely completes extra carpet cleaning, floor polishing and wall washing and regularly volunteers to cover for co-workers when they're sick or fall behind in their work.

William (Bill) Kelley, director, facilities operations, 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø, has forged a diverse staff into a cohesive team that has gained positive marks from the campus community for its maintenance of grounds, buildings and other facilities, nominators said. Nominaotrs said Kelley has a strong record for safety and other training of his employees and collaborates with others on campus and in the community to improve many facets of work and life at 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø. He is a key organizer of WSUV's Cougar Pride Days, has been instrumental in expanding and maintaining the campus trail system, and in 2002 founded the WSUV choir, which is comprised of students, faculty, staff and community members.

Reservations are still being accepted for the Distinguished Faculty Address Luncheon, inventors and retirees receptions and the Celebrating Excellence banquet at the Showcase website. Reservations and additional information can be obtained Online at

Photo: Bill Kelley, courtesy 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø. Click thumbnail for high resolution image.