èßäapp

Contact: Jennifer Hollingshead

Office: (573) 882-0601

E-mail: hollingsheadj@umsystem.edu

The University of èßäapp recognized seven èßäappstaff members for outstanding contributions to the University community in an awards ceremony Wednesday, May 16, 2007, in Columbia.

Awards are given to èßäappstaff members who best reflect honor upon the University through a combination of criteria related to job performance, leadership, reliability and dependability, relationship with their associates, and the ability to relate their work to the missions and values of the University.

Service and Support Award

The Service and Support Award is given annually to employees classified as office, technical, service or craft. The finalist receives a $1,000 cash award and the semi-finalist receives a $500 cash award.

Donna Barnes, finalist

Donna Barnes is a Technical Assistant for Information Technology Services. In this position she has worked to streamline the ordering process for all System computer equipment and technology purchasing. Barnes joined the staff of Information and Computing Services at the University of èßäapp System in February 1999. During her eight years of service to the University, she has served on the Staff Advisory Council and the Marketing Committee for the èßäappUnited Way campaign, and also has participated in the United Way Day of Caring.

Nancy Benedict, semi-finalist

Nancy Benedict started her employment at the University of èßäapp with SOS Temporary Staffing in 1998. She was hired in 1999 as Office Support Staff II in Management Services. In January 2006, Benedict was promoted to Administrative Assistant in èßäappProcurement Services. In her current position she works with the Chief Procurement Officer by providing assistance to his direct reports, processing fiscal and payroll operations for the department, completing purchase requisitions and coordinating travel and events. She also was involved in the planning and implementation of the new eProcurement program.

Administrative/Professional Award

The Administrative/Professional Award is given annually to administrative/professional employees below the director level. The finalist receives $1,000 and the semi-finalist receives $500.

Joetta Gross, finalist

Joetta Gross is a Senior Buyer in MU Procurement Services. Her employment with the University began in the Data Processing Department in 1977. In January 1980 she transferred to Purchasing (now MU Procurement) as a secretary. She was reclassified to Buyer Assistant until she was promoted to a buyer position in February 1999. The promotion set a precedent for advancement of buyer assistants to buyer positions. In November 2001, Gross successfully completed the CPPB exam and earned a nationally recognized certification as a Certified Professional Public Buyer.

Kennetha Jackson, semi-finalist

Kennetha Jackson has been with the èßäappFaculty and Staff Benefits Office for twenty years. She came to the University as an on-the-job trainee from the Columbia Area Career Center in February 1987. After completing her training, she was hired as a part-time Clerk Typist II in the Faculty and Staff Benefits Office. In November 1987, she was promoted to a full-time position. Jackson has been promoted from Clerk Typist to Secretary to Benefit Specialist and to her current title of Coordinator for Benefits and Administrative Systems.

President's Award

The finalists from the service/support and administrative/professional categories are forwarded for consideration for the Presidential Award. The finalist receives a $1,500 cash award.

Brian McNamee

Brian McNamee, retirement and endowment senior investment specialist in the Treasurer's Office, has been with the University since 1986. Since that time he has worked in various capacities within the Treasurer’s Office. He has served on Staff Advisory Council and also co-chaired the United Way Day of Caring for several years. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Institute, an international, nonprofit organization of more than 90,000 investment practitioners and educators in over 130 countries.

Administrator's Award

The Administrator's Award is given annually to employees in the position between and including director and associate/assistant vice president. Awardees are given a plaque.

David Moore

David Moore began working for the University at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia (WHMC-Columbia) in 1995 as a manuscript specialist. He has served as the associate director of WHMC-Columbia since 2002. Moore was accepted into the Academy of Certified Archivists in 2005 and has served as the state contact for the American Association for State and Local History awards program since 2006. Moore’s position includes meeting donors who add resources to the repository to assisting the many researchers who use the state’s best historical collection.

David R. Russell, Chief of Staff

In his current position, David R. Russell reports directly to the president of the University of èßäapp and provides leadership in planning, facilitating and coordinating activities of the Office of the President with the èßäappBoard of Curators, general officers of the University, and the University’s many internal and external stakeholders. Since 2005, Russell also has served as the èßäappCustodian of Records, charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the University is in compliance with the èßäapp Sunshine Law. He is a member of the èßäappCouncil for Institutional Relations and the èßäappStrategic Planning Committee and chairs the èßäappCampus Security Review Committee. Russell previously served as the University’s director of university relations. Prior to joining the èßäappSystem in 1991, he served in the United States Army as a commissioned officer, retiring in 1991 as a Lieutenant Colonel after a 22-year career.