UHV human resources staff member named 2022 Employee of Year
A staff member in the University of Houston-Victoria Human Resources office was recognized Tuesday as the 2022 Employee of the Year for her friendly demeanor, dependability and customer service skills.
Connie Rodriguez, a senior office assistant in Human Resources, was honored Tuesday during the UHV Faculty & Staff Recognition Luncheon. Faculty and staff who are celebrating employment anniversaries at the university also were recognized during the luncheon, including Paul Carlson, a professor of education, who was recognized for 50 years of service to the university.
“Connie and Paul are two great examples of the dedication and drive of the faculty and staff here at UHV,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “They both have made a positive impact in the UHV community, and we are so pleased to honor them for their service to the university.”
Rodriguez was hired in November 2007 and has remained in Human Resources for her entire career at UHV. Her roles have included office assistant and senior office assistant. She aids new hires by helping them get their UHV identification badge, onboarding paperwork, and answering any questions new employees may have.
Some of the comments about Rodriguez for Employee of the Year included how she is organized and efficient in everything she does and is a dedicated member of the UHV community.
“Connie is a friendly face to anyone who walks through our doors,” said Devon Camacho, UHV payroll and records manager. “She provides great customer service to employees and students as well as those in our community. Connie is a pleasure to work with and alongside. She is dependable, organized and efficient in everything she does. We appreciate her attention to detail and consistency as it relates to our processes and procedures. Ultimately, Connie is a dedicated member of our UHV community, and we are very proud of her!”
UHV employees choose the Employee of the Year by casting votes on an email ballot listing each 2022 UHV Employee of the Month. For Rodriguez, one of her favorite parts about her job is helping new hires with their UHV identification badge.
“I want people to feel like I am on their team,” she said. “Whether it’s students, faculty or staff, when you walk in for an ID, I want you to feel at home. I’ll treat you like you are family, and I think people really appreciate that.”
Carlson is one of the founding faculty members of UHV, and he started at the university when it was still the University of Houston Victoria Center. He teaches education courses in Victoria and online, as well as a course at UHV Katy. Carlson also has been involved in different areas of the university, including developing new academic programs and as a member of numerous committees, such as search committees for members of the university’s faculty and administration and the Faculty Senate.
“It’s been a long haul, and we’ve come a long way from where we started,” Carlson said. “We have good quality faculty, and I’ve enjoyed working with our students.”
In addition to Rodriguez, others listed on the ballot were:
- Angelina Janzen, admissions coordinator in Admissions
- Briana Vega, senior administrative secretary in the Office of the Provost
- Donna Hoover, executive administrative assistant in the Office of the President
- Eunice Mesa, talent development manager in Human Resources
- Dre Dervishi, systems analyst in Information Technology
- Donna LeLeux, senior administrative assistant in the Office of the Provost
- Paula Edging, administrative assistant in the College of Natural & Applied Science
- Cesar Gonzalez, coordinator in Student Life
- Melody Olsen, accounts payable specialist in Administration and Finance
- Linda Upham, senior secretary in the College of Business
- Bert Gonzalez, senior maintenance technician in Facilities
Rodriguez received a $500 check and a plaque, and her name also will be engraved on the Employee of the Year plaque displayed in Conference Room A in University West. A similar luncheon for faculty and staff at UHV Katy will be held Thursday.
Employees who have worked at the university for five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years also were recognized on Tuesday. Each employee’s name, title and department are listed below:
Five Years
- Garrett Adair – head coach for the men’s and women’s golf teams
- Willie Black Jr. – assistant professor in the College of Education & Health Professions
- Katherine Burke – Residence Life coordinator
- Meghan Christensen – assistant coach for the UHV Softball team
- Nicole Eugene – assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Brooke Garcia – assistant clinical professor in the College of Business
- Alberto Gonzales – facilities event technician in Facilities Services
- Deborah Green – student receivables specialist in Business Services
- Randall Jasek – senior network administrator in Information Technology
- Eliamani Juma – student recruitment coordinator in Enrollment Management and New Student Experience
- Shayna Landers – academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Stephanie Machicek – budget director in the Budget Office
- Mikael Samaniego-Lira – graphic designer in Marketing & Communications
- Bianca Singh – senior financial aid specialist in Financial Aid
- Linda Upham – senior secretary in the College of Business
- Erica Valle – assistant director of Financial Aid
- Jada Walton – human resources employment coordinator in Human Resources
- Yuan Wang – assistant professor in the College of Business
- Sara Zedaker – assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
10 Years
- Devon Camacho – payroll and records manager in Human Resources
- Craig Goodman – associate professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Doug Heinold – assistant baseball coach
- Bonnie Hermes – senior accountant in Finance
- Carol Keeney – business services assistant in Business Services
- Veronica Lopez – director of admissions processing in Admissions
- Mark Martinez – senior business advisor in the UHV Small Business Development Center
- Felicity Medrano – web developer in Enrollment Strategy & Marketing
- Joann Olson – associate provost for research and dean of graduate studies
- Mary Ramos – shuttle services supervisor in Student Services & Judicial Affairs
- George Rodriguez – creative services manager in Marketing & Communications
- Jeremy Sanchez – PeopleSoft Functional analyst and interim director of campus solutions in Enrollment Management
- Angela Simmons – associate director of enrollment management
- Diane Tippit – senior administrative secretary in UHV Athletics
- Elena Torres – counselor and confidential advisor in Students Services & Judicial Affairs
- Ziyun Yang – associate professor in the College of Business
15 Years
- Katherine Bacon – associate professor in the College of Education & Health Professions
- Christopher Burford – systems analyst in Information Technology
- John Burke – senior director of Facilities Services
- Tracey Fox – director of administration and student services in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Amy Guillot – professor in the College of Education & Health Professions
- Billy Lagal – director of Enrollment Strategy & Marketing
- Ana Laura Pineda – academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Connie Rodriguez – senior office assistant in Human Resources
- Beverly Tomek – associate provost for curriculum and student success
20 Years
- Chien-Ping Chen – professor in the College of Business
- Tracy Damborsky – administrative assistant in Facilities Services
- Jeffrey Di Leo – professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Xavier Garza-Gomez – professor in the College of Business
- June Nelson – financial report manager in Finance
- Ronald Salazar – professor in the College of Business
- David Summers – associate professor in the College of Business
- Jifu Wang – associate dean of international programs in the College of Business
25 Years
- Marci Wallace – web and digital media manager in Marketing & Communications
- Lois Lemke – bursar in Business Services
30 Years
- Linda Hayes – professor in the College of Business
- Carolyn Mallory – manager of financial aid compliance
- Melody Olsen – accounts payable specialist in Finance
35 Years
- Luh-Yu Ren – associate professor in the College of Business
40 Years
- Sherrie Kroll – manager of systems administration in Information Technology
- Karen Locher – senior director of the UHV Library.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.