ASU Honored Five Staff Members with Excellence Award

SAN ANGELO, TX -- Four Angelo State University staff members – Paul Hamilton, Ty Walden, Jon Wilcox and Brittany Wollman – have earned the 2018 President’s Awards for Staff Excellence, and another – Curt Braden – has received the annual Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award for Execution.  

The honorees were recognized during an awards ceremony April 17 on campus. The President’s Awards for Staff Excellence recipients were selected from 76 nominees, and the Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award honoree was chosen from six nominees. The four Staff Excellence Award recipients each received a $1,000 honorarium and a presentation piece, while the Rowan Award winner received a $1,500 honorarium.   

Paul Hamilton, assistant director of operations for the Office of Housing and Residential Programs, received the President’s Award for Commitment to Excellence. Lauded for being “at the forefront to deliver quality service to the ASU community,” Hamilton was honored for employing his multifaceted expertise to benefit the students living in ASU residence halls. From ensuring the security of the residence halls and the efficiency of the laundry, plumbing and HVAC systems to understanding the processes of IT, the OneCard Office and Chartwell’s food services, he is able to evaluate both problems and opportunities – and make recommendations that are in the best interest of the students and the campus as a whole. From his nomination letter, “He is able to represent the day-to-day life of students and what they need…His commitment to building relationships outside his own department makes the department and the university stronger…Paul has an understanding of the things behind the scenes that make our university successful.”   

Ty Walden, assistant manager of technology services in the Office of Information Technology, received the President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership. Hailed for his “extraordinary communication skills” and “uplifting attitude,” Walden was honored for consistently demonstrating his excellent leadership skills and strong work ethic to his customers, peers, team members and IT student employees. As he responds to a variety of technology issues daily, he is a team player with a “can do” attitude, takes pride in his work, and serves as an excellent role model for IT student employees and his team members. He has been the leader for a variety of critical IT projects, and he and his team have received an average service rating of 4.95 (on a 5-point scale) based on 2,736 customer surveys. From his nomination letter, “He has continually excelled and been willing to accept more responsibility…Ty spends a significant amount of his time developing and mentoring IT student employees into future IT professionals…He always has a positive attitude and creates a welcoming environment for anyone who works with him…We are fortunate to have him as part of the ASU Ram Family.”   

John Wilcox, senior web and user experience developer for IT/Web Services, received the President’s Award for Excellence in Innovation. Lauded for his ability to balance a practical approach with “thinking outside the box,” Wilcox was honored for his ability to both make “behind the scenes magic” and craft “front-and-center solutions” that are seen on the ASU website and many other ASU applications. By focusing on the end user experience, he is able to build solutions that accomplish his customers’ goals and also provide a “wow factor.” He was presented additional challenges this year working through an audit of the ASU website. He has taken on those challenges in a positive way, helping position the web team, vendor partners and customers for upcoming major improvements. He has also done an excellent job sharing his ideas and skillsets with his team members and IT student workers. From his nomination letter, “Jon’s willingness to work each day at making the team think from a customer’s perspective is taking our team to new heights…He combines his innovative skills, technical abilities and leadership skills to shift the dynamic in many settings…We are continually impressed with his innovative approach and his passion for Angelo State.”   

Brittany Wollman, a library assistant in the ASU West Texas Collection, received the President’s Award for Excellence in Customer Service. Lauded for her enthusiasm, flexibility and compassionate demeanor, Wollman was honored for always exceeding expectations in providing customer service, her willingness to volunteer at ASU recruiting events, and her ongoing professional development. In addition to her regular duties in the WTC, she assists in providing primary source instruction for ASU classes and assists in providing programs for middle and high school students from around the Concho Valley. She rearranges her schedule to participate in recruiting events like Night at the UC, Family Weekend and New Student Orientation. This year, she became the first library employee and one of only 30 individuals chosen to participate in the 2018-19 Leadership San Angelo program. In her spare time, she engages in her own historical research, writing and presentations. From her nomination letter, “Brittany enthusiastically takes on new roles, stepping in to help whenever she perceives a need or an opportunity to improve service…She is a person our students can look to for advice and as a role model…We look forward to the innovative ideas she is able to share in the years to come.”

Curt Braden, associate director of Information Technology, earned the Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award, which 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. Braden was honored for his work on several major projects, including the design and implementation of ASU’s outdoor security cameras, renovation of the press box at ASU’s football and track and field stadium, and overseeing the technology needs for all of ASU’s athletic facilities and events. He worked with University Police on installing more than 215 security cameras on campus, and the project was such a success that additional outdoor cameras are anticipated. He also put in extensive overtime to work with vendors and key campus stakeholders to design, install and test the new technology at LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field, including game clocks, scoreboards, Ram TV facilities, Wi-Fi coverage, TVs and sound equipment. He also continually oversees the technology needs at other athletic events, including audio equipment for coaches and referees, credit card services, computer statistics equipment, scoreboards, game clocks and Ram TV. From his nomination letters, “He is tenacious and will stay the course until a technology need is met or a problem is solved…He not only focuses on solutions, he engages the right resources to get projects done in a timely manner…His tenacity, resourcefulness and commitment make Curt a valuable member of the ASU community.”   

Other nominees for the President’s Award for Commitment to Excellence were: Amanda Ritchie, Brian Braden, Brittney Miller, Cody Riddle, Derek Salazar, Dianna Krejsa, Biology; Erika Baeza, Frosty Aguilar, Heather Crawford, Jayna Phinney, Jennifer Barrientos, Judith McAnanama, Justina Stark, Katherine Thoreson, Kaylee King, Landon Fisher, Lori Herron, Mark Hirt, Michelle Newell, Mike Gustin, Orlando Villarreal, Paula Bradley, Robert Cope, Sam Spooner, Sarah Foster, and Tonya Drost.  

Other nominees for Excellence in Leadership were: Eddie Behrends, Elicia Rankin, Jeane Irby, Jessica Gooch, Meagan Word, Melissa King, Randall Jenkins, and Shirley Eoff.  

Other nominees for Excellence in Innovation were: Dallas Swafford, Daniel Martinez, E.J. Smith, Ella Burnett, Jordan Hohensee, Rebecca Schkade, and Suzie Dusek.  

Other nominees for Excellence in Customer Service were: Alma Valdez, Amanda Gibson, Annette Dixon, Christina van Ittersum, Cindy Weeakes, Erin Johnson, Jeff Sefcik, Jenny Hock, Jessica Albus, Jody Casares, Joshua Torres, Julia Chandler, Kailee Malleck, Keith Hoelscher, Maggie Blair, Mandy Osborne, Marla Daugherty, Mary Ann Boyd, Mary Snowden, MaryAnne Low, Melody Kelley, Nancy Thomas, Nancy Vandiver, Olivia Castro, Princess Fiel-Murphy, Rebecca Schkade, Robin Sebolt, Ruben Limon, Sandy Graves, Shonda Brooks, and Troy Hill.