University award celebrates years of service at NAU

More than 130 Northern Arizona University faculty and staff members were honored for multiple years of dedicated service to the university at the annual Service Pin Award ceremony on April 29.

The award recognizes longtime employees who have worked for NAU at least 15 years. It is given out in five-year increments.

Two recipients, Ernest Kurmes and Wayne Sjoberg, were honored for their 40 years at NAU.

Gary Buckley, a political science professor who was recognized for his 35 years of service to NAU, said he originally came to the university on what he thought was a temporary one-year contract. Once he became part of the NAU community, it became home.

“My family and I discovered a wonderful community of colleagues, students and friends which proved to be a rich and satisfying place to work and to live,” Buckley said. “I am as amazed as anyone that this many years have flown by so swiftly. My work here at NAU has been varied and satisfying and I am grateful to have worked in such an extraordinary institution.”

Those recognized include:

40 years of service

  • Ernest Kurmes, School of Forestry
  • Wayne Sjoberg, Athletics

35 years of service

  • Eugene Balzer, School of Communication
  • David Brumbaugh, Department of Geology
  • Gary Buckley, Department of Political Science
  • William Delinger, Department of Physics and Astronomy
  • Richard Foust, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Chunhye Lee, College of Health and Human Services
  • Michael Malone, Department of Philosophy

30 years of service

  • Claudia Bakula, Cline Library
  • Raymond Budzynski, Capital Assets and Services
  • Ronald Gunderson, The W.A. Franke College of Business
  • Melvin Helsel, Comptroller’s Office
  • Dale W. Hoskins, School of Communication
  • George Lubick, Department of History
  • James Morgan, The W.A. Franke College of Business
  • Gregory Neal, The W.A. Franke College of Business
  • Robert Poirier, Department of Political Science
  • Paul Trotta, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

25 years of service

  • Patricia Baron, Graduate College
  • Mary Chun, Information Technology Services
  • James Conley, Student Unions and Activities
  • Daniel Fahey, Capital Assets and Services
  • Robert Fallows, College of Education
  • Craig Hoffman, Cline Library
  • Molly Munger, Community Relations
  • Nancy Paxton, Department of English
  • Glenn Phelps, Department of Political Science
  • Marilyn Poirier, Center for International Education

20 years of service

  • Vita Allison-Keyaanie, Financial Aid
  • Scott Anderson, Center for Environmental Sciences and Education
  • Bruce Behrens, Capital Assets and Services
  • Graydon Berlin, Department of Geography, Planning and Recreation
  • Joseph Boles, Department of Humanities, Arts and Religion
  • Leslie Brennan, University Development
  • Patricia Buchanan, Capital Assets and Services
  • Karen Busch, Fronske Health Center
  • Jeana Butler, Department of Political Science
  • Anne Buzzard, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Ward Cockrum, College of Education
  • Galen Collins, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management
  • Mary Dereshiwsky, College of Education
  • Mark Flynn, Capital Assets and Services
  • Charlotte Goodluck, Department of Sociology and Social Work
  • Ellen Grabarek, Department of Dental Hygiene
  • Glenn Hoge, Residence Life
  • Thomas Hoisch, Department of Geology
  • Lenka Hospodka, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management
  • Guenther Huck, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
  • Hedy Jacobson, School of Communication
  • Danny Johns, Capital Assets and Services
  • Patricia Johnson, School of Communication
  • Elizabeth Kerr, Employee Assistance and Wellness
  • Bob Kilpatrick, The W.A. Franke College of Business
  • Alan Lew, Department of Geography, Planning and Recreation
  • Chris Lockwood, The W.A. Franke College of Business
  • Carole Mandino, Gerontology Institute
  • Willa McAuliffe, College of Education
  • Maureen McGee, Information Technology Services
  • Mary Mueller, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training
  • Melanie Osborne, University Advancement
  • Rhonda Powers, Campus Recreation Services
  • Denise Quillen, College of Education
  • Paula Rice, School of Art
  • Corliss Rodgers, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management
  • Karen Schairer, Department of Modern Languages
  • Christine Schwimmer, Capital Assets and Services
  • Catherine Talakte, Native American Student Services
  • Frank Valdovino, Capital Assets and Services
  • Michele Wallace, Human Resources

15 years of service

  • Michael Adras, Athletics
  • Barbara Anderson, Department of English
  • William Archer, The W.A. Franke College of Business
  • Candace Awbrey, Capital Assets and Services
  • Edwin Bacon, Human Resources
  • Julie Bare, Distance Learning
  • Nicole Bauge, Department of Modern Languages
  • Paul Beier, School of Forestry
  • Nora Daugherty, Capital Assets and Services
  • Daniel Davidson, Institute for Human Development
  • Bennette Dawson, Distance Learning
  • Ilene Decker, School of Nursing
  • Patricia Diaz, Distance Learning
  • Lisa Doherty, Information Technology Services
  • Chris Downum, Department of Anthropology
  • Jill Dubisch, Department of Anthropology
  • Linda Fitchett-Hewitt, Department of Biological Sciences
  • Kathleen Frank, Institute for Native Americans
  • Peter Fulé, Ecological Restoration Institute
  • Catherine Gehring, Department of Biological Sciences
  • William Groves, Department of Theatre
  • Joan Hadden, College of Education
  • Theresa Harmon, Postal Services
  • Kathleen Hayden, Distance Learning
  • Terri Hayes, Distance Learning
  • Kelley Hays-Gilpin, Department of Anthropology
  • Terry Hubbard, Educational Support
  • Minda Husband, Education Technology Consortium
  • Matthew Johnson, Colorado Plateau Research Station
  • Chris Journigan, Capital Assets and Services
  • Diana Junius, Center for International Education
  • Matthew Kaplinski, Department of Geology
  • Roberta Kelly, NAU-Yuma
  • Kevin Ketchner, Cline Library
  • Sheila Jane Kuhn, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  • Thomas Ladner, Student Unions and Activities
  • Christine Lynn, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management
  • Beth Martin, Alumni Relations
  • Dennis Martin, Distance Learning
  • Leslie Mathews, Information Technology Services
  • Michael McCarthy, Distance Learning
  • Lawrence Mohrweis, The W.A. Franke College of Business
  • Susan Neeb, Student Unions and Activities
  • Nicole O’Grady, College of Education
  • Wilbert Odem, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Loreto Ojeda, Department of Modern Languages
  • Maria Ortiz, Capital Assets and Services
  • Shawn Pinkoski, Capital Assets and Services
  • Sandra Raymond, Department of English
  • Blase Scarnati Jr., School of Music
  • Ann Scott, Honors Program
  • Carol Seumptewa, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
  • Francis Smiley IV, Department of Anthropology
  • Edward Smith, Information Technology Services
  • Kathleen Stemmler, Distance Learning
  • Joseph Sturm IV, Comptroller’s Office
  • Philip Swartzbaugh, Distance Learning
  • George Tapia Jr., Distance Learning
  • Paul Umhoefer, Department of Geology
  • Thomas White, Counseling and Testing Center
  • Paul Wiener, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management
  • Gale Wyman, Distance Learning
  • Betty Zanot, Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity
  • Eric Zepnewski, Department of Biological Sciences