Chris Dobek for Public Service
Chris Dobek is the Assistant Director for Parking Services and was nominated for Public Service. Chris truly embodies the ideals of public service, having regularly gone above and beyond his typical job duties by volunteering and lending his talents and expertise to cross-department and University-wide projects.
Chris became the logistics and operations guru charged with developing and maintaining the University’s robust COVID-19 testing operation, which included testing site operations, logistics, volunteer management, and motivation. His first responder training provided expertise in coordination and task completion, which lightened the load of Student Health Services staff and increased the efficiency of the overall operation.
Outside of the University, Chris continues to give back and serve in an extraordinary way as an Assistant Chief for the Swift Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
Denise Fields for Outstanding State Government Service
Denise Fields is C-Store Operations Manager and was nominated for Outstanding State Government Service. When most students left campus, many of the regular Feed the Pack food pantry volunteers were suddenly unavailable. Denise stepped in with enthusiasm and helped develop new COVID-19 protocols to keep volunteers and patrons safe and avoid waste.
She was also instrumental in securing donations from C-Stores and other dining locations. Denise helped move Feed the Pack forward in collaboration with the students and staff from DASA. She helped negotiate relationships with vendors, made access to a wider variety of foods, and offered refrigerated and frozen foods for the first time.
Denise made sure that the NC State community had access to the resources of the food pantry during a time of critical need.
Hazar Hamada for Efficiency & Innovation
Hazar Hamada serves as a Technician in Student Centers Housekeeping and was nominated for Efficiency and Innovation. Hazar accepted new responsibilities to help with the mail systems at the Talley Loading Dock when the Dock Manager was unable to return. Hazar went through cross training, and accepted the new challenge in addition to her housekeeping duties.
Hazar helped develop new Covid safety protocols which included emailing staff a picture of the package labels so that they were aware of completed delivery and the package location. Hazar improved the protocol for contact tracing by electronically scanning the sign-in sheet and QR code at the loading dock for all unaffiliated NCSU visitors, which allowed management to have access in case any emergency issues with contact tracing arose.
Andrew McClure for Efficiency & Innovation
Andrew McClure is a Maintenance Technician in Campus Enterprises and was nominated for Efficiency & Innovation. Andrew enthusiastically assumed duties due to the departure of the Customer Service Manager. Andrew met the challenge by saving NC State tens of thousands of dollars though energy savings.
He helped to coordinate with the Student Centers to manage the Building Automation System at Talley Student Union to focus on cost savings. Andrew was instrumental in helping to manage daily Air Handler schedules as well as recommending areas for conservation.
In the past twelve months during COVID-19, utility costs dropped by 41% (approximately $340,000), which is attributed to Andrew’s eagle eye and sense of duty to find efficiencies in Air Handler Schedules while also understanding the importance of providing conditioned space to those essential front line staff.
Maria Muresan for Customer Service
Maria Muresan is NC State University’s I-9 Program Coordinator and was nominated for Customer Service. Maria’s efforts included managing and sustaining the I-9 program throughout COVID-19 by creating and delivering innovative services to safely, efficiently, and effectively serve thousands of customers across the university.
Maria played a key role in brainstorming, designing, implementing, and sustaining several innovative ideas that allowed the continuation of I-9 services. Maria designed an effective virtual I-9 and helped, in partnership with other departments across campus, to plan, staff, and carry out the first ever “I-9 Drive-Thru” event. Maria helped design and create a full-service I-9 Center.
Her contributions have established entirely new ways to serve our customers across the campus community and effectively and efficiently meet customer needs.
Tammy Putz for Outstanding State Government Service
Tammy Putz serves as Interim Capital Accountant and Budget Officer in Capital Project Management and was nominated for Outstanding State Government Service for her continued hard work and tireless efforts.
Tammy is responsible for critical accounting tasks for three different Facilities units. Since June, Tammy has served as the Interim Budget Officer and inherited supervisory duties of one accounting technician, as well as additional duties and responsibilities. She inherited budget oversight for some of the largest, most complex buildings in NC State’s history.
Tammy was instrumental in finding creative ways to keep the budgeting and accounting processes going amid an unprecedented pandemic. Tammy goes above and beyond to assist any customer, internal or external, and her perseverance and hard work are a testament to her devotion to the University
