Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

Crimson Spirit Award -- Rickey Yanaura
The Sam S. May Commitment to Service Award

Rickey Yanaura

Rickey Yanaura, well known photographer from University Relations' department of photography, has likely photographed every nook and cranny of The University of Alabama campus and more UA personnel than anyone else. Little has escaped his eye and lens. According to his nominator Teresa H. Faulkner, manager of human resources development, Yanaura has captured many memorable and exciting events in his 20-year service to UA. "Rickey also jumps right in when and if he observes another need. He has arranged tables, helped greet guests, and offered valuable evaluation tips for improvement," Faulkner wrote.

But the most important contribution, as everyone who knows him knows, "he does so with the most pleasant demeanor." According to Faulkner, Yanaura brings out the Crimson Spirit in others by being so positive that it is contagious.

The Crimson Spirit Award recognizes individual staff members who make extraordinary contributions and demonstrate teamwork and a winning spirit. To nominate an employee, who must be a current non-faculty employee, contact UA Human Resources at 348-6690 or Human Resources Development at 348-7125. Crimson Spirit Winners who wish to have their picture taken for Dialog and for office records may come to the photography department in G-5 Rose Administration Building on every third Thursday of the month, anytime between 2 and 4 p.m., to have photos made. No appointment is necessary. For information, contact Jennifer Sanford at 348-8332. Nomination forms are available on the Human Resources Web site at http://hr.ua.edu.

The Sam S. May Commitment to Service Award

UA's Sam S. May Commitment to Service Award recognizes departments, departmental units, offices, teams, or centers that demonstrate exceptional customer service and continuous improvement in customer relations.

The award honors a special man who worked at the University from 1911-1941 as a custodian in the chemistry department. May learned chemistry from instructors during his lunch hour. He later tutored students and helped in research projects. May was presented an award for his service to students and faculty, and he is listed in The University of Alabama's Pictorial History.

The 2003 May Awards, representing the University's administrative divisions, were presented by UA President Robert E. Witt at the recent fall faculty and staff meeting. All the areas will be featured in Dialog in upcoming issues.

Staff of the UA landscape and grounds department

Staff of the UA landscape and grounds department won the 2003 Sam S. May Commitment to Service Award from the division of financial affairs, and many were at the recent fall faculty and staff meeting to be recognized.