Dawn Hunt, Lois Valentine and Tammy Bankoski, secretaries with decades of combined service at SUNY Fredonia, received coveted awards at the SUNY Fredonia Secretarial/Clerical Professional Development Group’s annual Fall Conference held Oct. 18 at the College Lodge.
The Barbara Saletta Meritorious Service Award is given annually to recognize a secretarial or clerical employee with outstanding service attitude. This year’s awards were presented to Dawn Hunt, Secretary I in the Biology Department and to Lois Valentine, Calculations Clerk II in University Services. Both awards were established through the Fredonia College Foundation to honor secretarial/clerical staff members for an outstanding service attitude, creativity, resourcefulness, demonstrated team effort and personal integrity and leadership.
Dawn Hunt: Initially, Dawn worked in other capacities at SUNY Fredonia including the Research Foundation and the Purchasing Department. For the past four years she has served as the Biology Department’s secretary. In addition to supporting important initiatives of the Biology Department, Hunt also assists with work on the Health Professions Advising Committee. “Dawn is a treasure to the Biology Department, its’ faculty, staff and students and the University,” states Department Chair Patricia Astry. “She is my strong right arm and this department would not have the same level of productivity or positive spirit without her.”
Lois Valentine: Lois Valentine joined the SUNY Fredonia staff in 1998, first in the Mailroom and then Property Control in 2001. As Property Control’s Calculations Clerk, Valentine updates the property control system to account for state property and continues to maintain a great rapport with the departments in setting up the inventory schedules. She even handles the campus electronic recycling of old discarded electronics. “Lois never says no when ask to add “just one more” task to her list of responsibilities,” said Student Account’s Mary Jo Rusch. “Lois makes her coworkers and SUNY Fredonia a top priority each and every day.”
Tammy Bankoski: The Poummit Secretarial Award in Memory of Janet Marks, a former secretary to the president of SUNY Fredonia, was presented to Tammy Bankoski, Secretary I in the Communication Department. Prior to coming to SUNY Fredonia, Ms. Bankoski worked as assistant to the director of housing at Chautauqua Opportunities and as an office assistant at Jamestown Community College in Dunkirk. Today, she continues to simplify problems and make life easier for both the students and staff of the Communication Department. “This woman never stops!,” declares department chair Kathleen McDonough. “She is always thinking about and working on ways to make our department run smoother and get more done. She is the first person people on and off campus encounter when contacting our department, and her exceptionally courteous, effective interactions with them have the practical consequence of establishing positive relationships from the very beginning.”
Recipients received a framed certificate and monetary award from SUNY Fredonia President Virginia Horvath.
