Five Receive 2022 Awards for Excellence

It was a cool but sunny day in Raleigh – a perfect day for a celebration – when five exceptional staff members received the Award of Excellence, the highest honor NC State College of Veterinary Medicine bestows on nonfaculty employees.

Dean Kate Meurs hosted the awards ceremony in the Marilyn and Dean Green Lecture Hall on the CVM campus April 20. An outdoor reception followed under a tent on the campus hearth.

Colleagues nominated 23 staff members for the award, which comes with eight hours of paid time off and $250. The five winners also automatically become candidates for the NC State University-wide Awards for Excellence being presented later this academic year. If honored there, they become eligible for the Governor’s Award for Excellence.

Here are a summary of the nominations submitted for the five award winners and a list of all 23 nominees.

2022 Award for Excellence Winners

Heather Sidari, anesthesia supervisor, nominated in the Human Relations category. In her nomination, Sidari is credited with being a multi-faceted, team-oriented supervisor whose organizational and managerial skills are matched by her compassion for clients and her concern for the well-being of her colleagues. She is much appreciated and admired by her colleagues. 

Nickie Scoggins, applications analyst programmer, nominated in the Efficiency and Innovation category. Scoggins is recognized for efforts above and beyond what is expected during the difficult process of converting the pharmacy’s record system from the UVIS to the ezyVet system. This includes developing innovative solutions, working extra hours on urgent problems and doing so with a positive and collaborative attitude.

Marc Curley, animal care technician, nominated in the Customer Service category. Curley is recognized for his dedication to his assigned duties maintaining rooms as an animal technician while willingly taking on the additional task of maintaining the Technical Services Request program. This program organizes requests for services or supplies from research technicians and others.

Brooke Bridges, cardiology clinical technician, nominated in the Customer Service category. Bridges is credited with being a calm, positive and dedicated force in the course of her duties. Her hard-working and stabilizing influence during the additional demands of staff shortages and pandemic-related procedures has helped her service and her colleagues continue to provide quality patient care.

Kirk Nuss, IT liaison to Academic Affairs, nominated in the Customer Service category. Nuss’s official role is to provide technical support for Academic Affairs. However, when a retirement led to the need for someone to provide IT support to the Diagnostic Imaging Service last year, Nuss stepped in and filled that role while continuing to perform his regular duties. He was nominated for performing this role positively and effectively while still fulfilling his original responsibilities.

Nominee and Category

Alicia Black, Customer Service

Ashton Reddish, Customer Service

Ben (Benjamin) Daniels, Efficiency & Innovation

Brooke Bridges, Customer Service

Curtis Colwell, Human Relations & Spirit of NC

Debra Cmkovich, Efficiency & Innovation

Erica Lemler, Efficiency & Innovation

Heather Sidari, Human Relations

Jacob Privette, Customer Service

Justine Tillerson, Human Relations

Karie Tucker Efficiency & Innovation

Kirk Nuss Customer Service

Lauren Buslinger, Human Relations

Lyndy Harden, Efficiency & Innovation

Marissa Thompson, Outstanding State Government

Mark Curley, Efficiency & Innovation

Megan Millman, Spirit of North Carolina

Nickie Scoggins, Efficiency & Innovation

Niki Theobald, Customer Service

Olivia Higgs, Efficiency & Innovation

Rachel Robichaux, Customer Service

SaraAnn Craven, Customer Service

Sherry Buckles, Efficiency & Innovation