ASU Staff Receive President's Award

Four Angelo State University staff members – Brian Jackson, Annette Dixon, Jayna Phinney and Don Cheek – have earned the 2014 President’s Awards for Staff Excellence, and another – Clay Smith – has received the Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award for Execution. 

Jackson, associate director of information technology, received the President’s Award for Commitment to Excellence. Dixon, office coordinator for the Department of Agriculture, received the President’s Award for Excellence in Customer Service. Phinney, web information specialist in the Office of Communications and Marketing, received the President’s Award for Excellence in Innovation. Cheek, University Center events manager, received the President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership.

Smith, director of ASU Facilities Planning and Construction, earned the Chancellor’s Rowan Award for his efforts to ensure all the various technology components were installed at LeGrand Stadium at 1^st Community Credit Union Field in time for the opening football game of the 2014 season. The Rowan Award annually recognizes a staff member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in carrying out a major project during the last academic year.

The honorees were recognized during an awards ceremony Feb. 16 on campus. The President’s Award recipients were selected from 29 nominees, and the Chancellor’s Rowan Award honoree was chosen from eight nominees. The four Staff Excellence Award recipients received a $1,000 honorarium and a presentation piece while the Rowan Award winner received a $1,500 honorarium. 

An ASU staff member since 2008, Jackson was praised for his professionalism, attention to detail and commitment to maintaining the technology components of several areas of the ASU campus, including student affairs, student life, residential programs, disability services, and recreation and intramurals. Particularly in emergency and after-hours situations, Jackson was recognized for his willingness to put in the extra time and effort needed to resolve whatever technology issues may arise.

On the ASU staff since 2005, Dixon was cited for her professionalism in coordinating the activities of the 11 faculty, hundreds of students and various student organizations in the Department of Agriculture. In addition to overseeing all departmental accounts, she coordinates travel for individual student researchers, five student organizations and two intercollegiate judging teams. She is also the first contact for agriculture students and often assists with registration, advising and scholarship issues, as well as various at campus recruiting events and community agriculture programs.

Phinney, who joined the ASU staff in 2009, was lauded for her revamping and oversight of the university’s website and social media outlets and policies. She recently coordinated a complete overhaul of the ASU website homepage and implemented new processes for building strategic Web and social media content for every campus department. She has also been instrumental in formulating ASU’s new social media hub, social media content, social media tracking and analytics, and optimization of Web and social media marketing content for recruiting prospective students.

An ASU staff member since 2008, Cheek was recognized for his training and managing of his department’s student staff, as well as his colleagues. His training and management approach infuses practical life lessons into departmental procedures to develop a team of well-rounded student and staff leaders. He was praised for continually coaching student and full-time staff in both personal and professional development, as well as for his cool professionalism in times of crises.

Other nominees for the President’s Staff Excellence Awards, by department, were: Dara Anderson, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Autumn Barnes, Porter Henderson Library; Linda Boatright, Student Life; Curt Braden, Information Technology (IT); Heather Brown, Student Life; Julia “D” Chandler, IT; Katie Dixon, IT; Doug Fox, IT; Melody Kelley, Mathematics; Jennifer Lennon, Materials Management; Anna Martinez, Ticket Office; Luann McCorkle, Human Resources; Samuel Mendoza, Student Life; June Moore, Community Engagement; Mandy Osborne, Curriculum and Instruction; Julie Ruthenbeck, Student Life; Jamie Sellers, Mail Services; Angela Skaggs, Library; Clay Smith, Facilities Planning and Construction; Diane Spraggins, English and Modern Languages; Justina Stark, Finance and Administration; and Carrie Whitesell, Controller’s Office.

Other nominees for the Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award were: Paula Bradley, Mail Services; Jennifer Johnson, Student Life; Melody Kelley, Mathematics; Mark Multer, Facilities Management; Hal Peter, Facilities Management; Terry Queen, Facilities Management; and Rick Stinnett, Facilities Planning and Construction.