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Regents and WNC Awards for 2001-2002

Each year, the NSHE board of Regents and Western Nevada College give various awards for excellence for teaching, administrative and staff work, teamwork, and more. The awards given for the 2001-2002 school year are listed below.

WNC Classified Employee Appreciation

Classified Council selects one staff member each month to highlight his or her outstanding contributions to WNC. Anyone from the college can nominate staff for this award. Profiles of the staff members selected are sent to the President's Office and a special celebration is held in the spring to recognize the outstanding achievements of these staff.

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June 2002: Julie Lewis-DeWitt

"Julie has long worked on the recycling-of-paper at WNCC. She runs around making sure there are signs on each of the boxes throughout the Carson campus, she ensures that there are adequate boxes and will make up one and deliver it if you ask. She has been one of the driving forces on the Recycled Articles art show here on campus. She is relentless in trying to get our help in creating awards from out trash. She has a hard enough time getting us to bring it in and then she takes the time to turn it into something that will make a nice award. Her assignment at WNCC causes her to come into frequent contact with students - both happy and disgruntled. She is always cheerful; puts forward a professional manner; and goes the extra mile in helping to meet the needs of every customer-student who comes to the counter."

May 2002: Robyn Tinney

Robyn is a valued Allied Health and Science employee. Due to transformation, she was upgraded to full-time status to assist Nursing and Science faculty. Robyn types up difficult Nursing forms, charts, and assignments. She processes all book orders for the Division. She also acts as the receptionist for the busy Division office--fielding new and existing Nursing student program inquiries, upset/angry students, and frustrated faculty with grace and ease. She is very knowledgeable when it come to the Nursing Program and its strict requirements. Robyn is very task oriented and serves faculty and students in a very professional manner. She is willing to go the "extra mile" when circumstances within the Division call for her assistance. I feel Robyn is long over due in having her accomplishments and her wonderful contributions to the Allied Health and Science Division recognized. She is a great coworker! She has worked for WNCC for 5.5 years part-time and was upgraded to full-time in July 2001. Robyn was born in California but was raised in Las Vegas. She has two children--a son (28) who is married (no grandkids yet!) and daughter 18. She is married for the second time to her high school sweetheart, Alan Tinney. She relocated to Carson City from Las Vegas, NV due to her husband's state job. She collects birdhouses and loves to spend time with her family.

April 2002: John March

"John is a very dedicated employee at WNCC, who takes pride in his job and the details of the functions of the mailroom/central receiving. There is always a pleasant "hello" and smile for everyone he meets. Recently when completing a 6000 piece mailing for the Outreach Coordinator, he assisted in picking up and delivering it to the mailroom for us. This was greatly appreciated, saving time and us the necessity of carrying them to the Central Receiving Office. John has been an employee of WNCC for six years. He has an AA from Sierra College, Rocklin, CA, and a BA from San Diego State, San Diego, CA. He moved to Nevada from California in 1995."

March 2002: Gail Deck

Gail is referred to as the Douglas Campus "Mary Poppins." She handles everything handed to her, and is always happy to do so. Gail goes out of her way to help the teaching staff and her peers. Gail is always adding those special touches to make the Douglas Campus a special place. Most of all, Gail is always available to serve the students, whether it is looking up something for them, helping them register, or just sharpening a pencil for them. She always keeps in mind the students are our customers, our number one concern. With Gail's busy schedule we often wonder where she gets her energy. Besides working everyday she takes classes, teaches her Genealogy class and volunteers. Gail is a native to Nevada, and she loves her state -- especially Carson Valley and Jobs Peak. She and her husband, Tom, have five children, with their youngest, Emily, still at home.

February 2002: Roberto Ramirez

Roberto was nominated for Employee of the Month because of the pride that he takes in his job. The Counseling Office realized what a wonderful job Roberto does when he was recently on vacation. Roberto maintains the floors, counters, and everything in top shape. The restrooms are always clean and well supplied with the necessities. He takes great pride in the Student Services area. Roberto is a very conscientious B&G worker. Thank you Roberto! He has been employed at WNCC for 2+ years. He was educated and graduated from high school in Mexico. He is a native of Degollado, Mexico and came to Nevada in 1983. He is married to Lupé and has a daughter--Angela--known as the Princess.

January 2002: Jan Hill

Jan has been with the college for almost 14 years. She is employed in the Controller's office and holds the title of an Accountant Technician. Jan's office is located in the very back of the Finance office, but that does not stop her from being very helpful and willing to assist her colleagues whenever possible. Jan always has a very positive attitude and is always wearing a smile. Jan is also very patient and makes you feel welcomed asking for her help. Jan has also contributed her time to the College--she recently served as Classified Council Chair. If you visit her well decorated office you will see many pictures of her four legged friend.

December 2001: Ina Funke

Ina Funke is the Administrative Assistant to the Applied Sciences, Mathematics and Information Systems Division. Ina has consistently gone above and beyond the requirements of her position to assure that the division has been served. She always comes to work early and is always cheerfully at her work when others arrive. Her work is consistently well done. She is on top of the needs and deadlines for the division. She has been with WNCC for at least 17 years. Ina was born in Germany and emigrated with her husband. She has three sons, two of whom have completed dental school. The third is studying computer information systems.

November 2001: Kendall Buscay

Kendall was placed in a very challenging situation this year, taking over the demanding performing arts classified position without the benefit of a previous staff member to train her. She had many difficult procedures to learn "under the gun" and was able to complete her many responsibilities meeting show deadlines. Despite the stress of having much to learn in very little time, she was always very pleasant with the large numbers of people she needed to deal with. She also completed her duties with remarkable accuracy, even surviving the minute scrutiny of a Board of Regents' audit.

October 2001: Lanny Vestey

Lanny has been an extremely and consistently hard working employee (even during the failing health of his wife who died more than a year ago). Whenever I needed to get something done at the Fallon Campus, I knew that I could count on Lanny Vesty and his employees (notably, Richard Parker). Even after I had already transferred to the Carson Campus, I asked Lanny if he could install new shelves in the Fallon Campus art room, and before I had a chance to return to Carson, he had already made room for the new shelves and started installing them. It is amazing to see employees who, regardless of which campus other people work on, are willing and able to fill such requests. Lanny and the crew he leads were quite possibly the most important people I dealt with on a day-to-day basis. He is a good reason that the Fallon Campus runs so smoothly. If everyone was as helpful, dependable and trustworthy as Lanny is, our college couldn't be beat. Thank you for giving me the chance to nominate an employee from a different campus.

September 2001: Diane Nungary

Diane has worked for the college on the Douglas campus for some time. She is always pleasant and strives to assist peers, administrative personnel, and most importantly, students in every way possible. She is a self-starter and doesn't wait around for someone to give her tasks. The quality of her work is excellent. She works over and above that which can be expected by volunteering on committees that cause her to work weekends and by working out in the community during special events to promote WNCC. She frequently attends workshops to enhance her ability to perform at top levels. She is currently participating in State of Nevada workshops to receive a certificate for supervision. She becomes involved in all areas of the Douglas campus so that she can help to ensure the smooth running of the campus. Diane's attitude is wonderful; if something needs to be accomplished, regardless of the time frame, she is right there with a smile ready to get on task. She does whatever it takes! She has worked at WNCC for about 5-6 years. She is working on her AA and has completed Real Estate Certification for licensing. She is married and has two grown children and has also adopted a wild horse called Prince Charles - Charlie for short! She is involved in the community and other charitable endeavors. She did the AVON walk for life last year and raised over $3,500 and is currently working on the American Cancer Society relay for life in the Carson Valley area.

August 2001: Dorothy Arraiz

Dorothy Arraiz has been a loyal and dedicated employee of Western Nevada Community College for the past 12 years. She has served as an elected member of the Classified Council several times, the latest of which is a two year term (1999-2001) as the chair of the "Classified Employee of the Month" award committee. This position requires the giving of personal time beyond the duties of her job. Dorothy has done an outstanding job and the beautiful plaques and awards are made timely and with presentation. Dorothy did an excellent job of soliciting input for the Classified Employee of the Month nominations. In addition, she went above and beyond thanking the nominators by giving them post-it notes (purchased with her own money), which was an especially nice touch! Dorothy is flexible and easy-going. She has had to make many adjustments in her job duties over the years. She is always pleasant to work with, greeting her fellow employees with a smile. She serves as a mentor and role model to new and seasoned WNCC employees and is always available to help with practical advice and guidance. She is one of those outstanding people who is easy to miss - she's doing her job - and then some. She is always cheery, always helpful - both willing and able - with institutional memory and a strong sense of community. Dorothy was born to an old Nevada pioneer family in Carson City (nee Lompa, as in Lompa Lane). She has been married for 37 years and is the proud mother of two fine sons. She is one of those special people whose deeds often times go unnoticed or unrewarded. She has spent many hours on behalf of Special Needs children and in caring for the elderly. She not only gives of her time, but also of her finances. There are many anonymous donations that none, but a few, are aware of. She is that special someone who touches a little part of everyone she meets.

July 2001: Donna Ashby

Donna has held several positions in the Business Office; and because of this experience, her peers always consult her for direction and help in performing their work assignments. This is no small task because of the complex assignments and computer systems that the office must utilize for each of its varied functions. She has become the primary backup for several positions in the office because of her knowledge and excellent retention ability. Her current position in the Business Office, as the primary accounts payable technician, requires a person who has diplomacy and extreme patience. She is also responsible for travel payments, and difficult situations and/or employees are a constant staple in her day-to-day activities. Donna is able to handle each situation with grace and empathy, while adhering to the policies and procedures that she must follow. Even with all of the duties and additional assignments, Donna is never too busy to listen to someone with a concern and give them her full attention. She validates each as a person and gives the impression that no problem is too small or irrelevant. Donna exercises good judgment in all of her actions. She is able to analyze situations and is able to determine when, how, or what she should disclose or not disclose when appropriate. Many sensitive issues come across her desk and are also introduced to the office through its association with the Vice-president of Finance. Donna started working at WNCC December 6, 1993. She obtained her Associate of Arts degree in 1996, maintaining a 4.0 GPA. This was while she was working full-time and maintaining a home for her family. She has served on several committees during her employment at WNCC, the Retention Committee, the Staff Development Committee, and the Selection for the Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year Committee. Donna moved from California in 1991, but calls Nevada home and feels that there isn't a prettier place to live. Donna is married to the love of her life and has one child and three stepchildren who consider her their Mom. This is not an easy task and demonstrates what a warm, wonderful and giving person she is.