Gary Ridings has received the University Staff Employee Appreciation award for January at UW-Stout.
Ridings, from Eau Claire, is a department assistant in Security and Police Services. He has worked at UW-Stout for about 4½ years.
The person nominating Ridings stated: “Gary works hard every single day. He is the face and the voice on the phone when people call. He has a very special and kind customer service presence. Being a relatively new UW-Stout employee, he has brought excellent skills to his position. He is always willing to step in and be a team player no matter what the circumstance: problem-solving, purchasing supplies, covering the office, you name it.
"Gary took on many extra duties when our previous employee retired and never has complained about the extra work and new things he has had to learn. Without Gary, our office would not be running as smoothly and efficiently as it does. We just completed a major records management software transition, a system that manages almost every aspect of the police department. Gary went above and beyond the scope of his duties to lead every aspect of this project that took most of the year to complete. This included the planning, development, configuration and training of staff. Due to Gary's efforts and expertise, our 'go-live' date was flawless, and Gary continues to perfect the system to meet our needs.
"I can't say enough good things about Gary and how hard he works for not only police and parking but the campus as a whole. He is the type of person who makes other people better, with his positive attitude, outgoing personality and humor. His presence, every day, makes this a better place to be."
Each employee of the month receives a certificate of recognition and a gift presented by Chancellor Katherine Frank.
Students, faculty and staff may nominate university staff members who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and the university community.
The award, in its 17th year, was established by the Chancellor’s Office and is co-sponsored by the University Staff Senate.
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