President David Wippman opened the 33rd employee service recognition luncheon on May 15 in Commons Dining Hall with a quick look back on his 10 months on campus, noting that what had been described to him before coming to Hamilton “is real—and remarkable. … I see that sense of community in action every day—in the care and devotion all of you exhibit in making Hamilton and the education it provides such a wonderful and transformative experience.”
The luncheon serves primarily as an opportunity to announce the winners of the Beverly S. and Eugene M. Tobin Employee Awards and to recognize employees celebrating milestone service anniversaries. Employees who had achieved 10, 20, 30 and 40 years of service to the College were recognized before the Tobin Awards were presented.
President Wippman presented the Tobin awards to Grounds Service Worker Dan Colter in the maintenance and operations group. Reading from Coulter’s nominations, Wippman quoted, “He goes above and beyond to get the job done right, but more importantly, to make sure everyone on his crew feels valued and appreciated for their efforts.” “He is so dedicated to his job that even three feet of snow could not keep him from coming to work.”
About Assistant Director, Environmental Protection & Safety Mary Collis, who received the honor in the administrator category, Wippman quipped, “She is a master of preventing disaster.” Linda Michels, senior assistant to the vice president for academic affairs, was recognized in the staff category and described as “a consummate professional, master of the all-important Red Book, and a ‘go to’ person for all things Hamilton.”
The Tobin Employee Awards were instituted in 2006 to annually recognize one representative from each of the College’s three non-faculty groups of employees: administrators, staff members and maintenance and operations workers. Monetary awards are made each year from an employee-generated fund established in 2003 to honor Gene Tobin, Hamilton College’s 18th president, and his wife Beverly. The fund recognizes the couple’s 23 years of service to the Hamilton community.
Award criteria include making significant improvements in College services; showing innovation, imagination or creativity on the job; taking significant interest in and participating in College activities; demonstrating job performance that consistently exceeds expectations; and exemplifying integrity and dedication to the College mission and goals.
