Two receive 2005 WSU Spokane Staff Awards

Two employees of Washington State University Spokane have been awarded 2005 WSU Spokane Staff Excellence Awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the campus and community.

Matthew Nelson, a maintenance custodian in facilities operations, received the Classified Staff Excellence Award. Nelson’s primary responsibility is maintenance of floors throughout the buildings at the Riverpoint campus.

Nelson has been nominated for the award a number of times. Co-workers cite Nelson’s dedication to excellence, work ethic and exhaustive knowledge of flooring surfaces and cleaning techniques, as well as his all-around contribution to the work environment, as reasons why he should receive the award.

Vivian Knapp, who supervises the custodial staff, said, “Matt does the work of two people, and is trusted and respected by his co-workers. He always has a pleasant attitude and seems to do his work effortlessly. Other co-workers ask to have Matt teach them the methods he uses to do the floor and carpet care of the campus.”

In nominating Nelson, Sandi Baldwin, principal assistant in facilities operation, said, “I believe Matt’s ability to make our floors shine and keep our carpets clean positively impacts the image of our campus facilities.Thefloors are one of the first things most people notice when they walk into our buildings. This is largely due to Matt being a topnotch ‘floor guy’ and a very hard worker. Matt can do floors better and faster than the latest models of self-propelled floor machines.”

Nelson has been with WSU Spokane since December 2000. An elite runner who anchors the WSU Spokane Bloomsday Corporate Cup Team, he was named Runner of the Year by the Spokane Roadrunners Club.

Kaarin Appel, communications and events manager, received the Administrative/Professional Staff Excellence Award. Appel has been with WSU Spokane since 2001. Prior to joining WSU Spokane, she worked in public relations, event planning, sales, marketing and agricultural research.

Appel holds a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness with minors in agricultural economics, business and public relations from WSU. She received an MBA from Eastern Washington University in 2005. Appel is a 2004 graduate of Leadership Spokane, serves on the board of directors of the Spokane Public Relations Council and the Taste Washington Spokane planning committee, and volunteers for Children’s Miracle Network and Spokane Guilds’ School.

Nominators praised her organizational skills and attention to detail, her emphasis on involving and thanking those who work with her on myriad events, publications and other projects, and her effectiveness as both an internal and external ambassador for WSU Spokane.

In nominating her, Barb Chamberlain, director of communications and public affairs, said, “She doesn’t just go the extra mile-she goes the extra distance of an entire continent, if necessary, to ensure that everything that can contribute to the outcome has been thought of, planned for and addressed. She has earned the respect of the community leaders who work with her, and the relationships she fosters result in increased knowledge of and support for WSU activities in Spokane.”

The WSU Spokane Employee Excellence Award carries a $1,000 award and is supported by Spokane Teachers Credit Union. Recipients are nominated by co-workers and are chosen for their quality of work and contributions to work environment and the larger community.