1993 President's Awards

Fagalar, Marine, and Williams receive 1993 President's Award

Winners of the 1993 President's Award for Distinguished Service have been selected -- Carol Fagalar of Human Resources, Stephen Marine of civil engineering, and Naomi Williams of the School of Dentistry. Each receives a $500 cash award, and their names have been inscribed on a plaque displayed in Tomlinson Hall. The three have a combined 85 years of service at CWRU.

Winners were nominated and selected for the honor on the basis of extraordinary citizenship demonstrated by excellence in performance, service, and commitment to CWRU.

Carol Fagalar joined CWRU in March 1977, working in a number of positions at the School of Dentistry before transferring to Human Resources in 1988. Nominators lauded her friendly and courteous service to the campus community.

"Carol has volunteered to assist others and provide help above and beyond normal job expectations," Earl McLane, director of Human Resources, wrote in his nomination letter.

Fagalar's first responsibility in Human Resources was coordinating the first-ever Benelect enrollment. "It is difficult to answer the same questions many times, yet make the employee feel like it's the first," wrote Marcia Beasley, assistant director of Human Resources -- but Beasley credited Fagalar with making this happen.

Stephen Marine's 32 years at CWRU began in 1961 working as a millwright and mechanic for the maintenance staff. He now is chief technician in the Department of Civil Engineering.

Students have developed a strong bond with "Steve-O," as they call Marine. "He is an integral part of our education. He is a motivator, a father figure, and a friend," 15 student members of the American Society of Civil Engineers wrote in their joint nomination letter.

"Steve has been personally responsible for setting up many students with the interviews that eventually led to a job offer," wrote associate professor Roberto Ballarini.

Marine assists with labs, helps students with projects, and provides input on special activities such as preparing entries for the annual concrete canoe competition. He even drives students to these out-of-state weekend contests, Ballarini added.

Naomi Williams has spent the last 14 of her 37 years at CWRU on the clerical staff of the dental school's Department of Community and Pediatric Dentistry.

As department chair Charles Clark noted in his nomination, Williams "serves the school and community well through community outreach for the cause of dentistry in schools, churches, community centers, Boy Scouts of America, Cancer Society's Reach to Recover, and other service organizations and institutions." She has held several offices with CWRU's African-American Faculty and Staff Organization (formerly called BFSAO).

"I continue to be impressed with her involvement in trying to improve opportunities to the next generation, serving as a model and mentor for other administrative staff and always trying to get young people into health science careers," wrote Edgar B. Jackson Jr., clinical professor of medicine and former associate dean of CWRU's School of Medicine. Williams assisted in developing the medical school's minority affairs office.

The Staff Advisory Council's Staff Recognition Committee reviewed the 52 nominations received, then recommended winners to President Agnar Pytte, who presented awards at the June 16 Staff Service Luncheon.

The committee expressed its appreciation to all who submitted applications, and encouraged them to resubmit them for consideration next year.

"It was a really tough choice when you can only choose three," said Jann Reber of Plant Services, who co-chaired the SAC committee with Annie Banks of Human Resources. "We would have liked to be able to give out 52 of them."