Administrative and support staff honored at employee recognition events

Employee recognition events were held in May to honor administrative and support staff from the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph; Saint John’s University, Collegeville; and the Order of Saint Benedict.

Employees were recognized for retirement and years of service. In addition, several special awards were presented:

Retirement – Sandy Belanger, CSB culinary services; Gary Bradford, CSB culinary services; Eileen Haeg, health center; Ardell Koehn, SJU custodial; Mary Reischl, Liturgical Press; Addy Spitzer, international student programs; Kathryn Tschakert, health center.

Five years:
CSB/SJU - Terri Barreiro, McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship; Judy Bednar, human resources; Addy Spitzer, international student programs; Alan Christenson, admission; Steve Gradin, information technology services; Barbara Hein, communication and marketing services; Ryan Kutter, academic assessment; Brent Schloe, registrar’s office; Jennifer Schwichtenberg, library.
CSB - Marianne Koenig, culinary services; Dave Konz, custodial maintenance; Katherine McNeil, athletics; Christine Munger, Companions on a Journey; S. Janelle Sietsema, OSB, media services; Joseph Vaughn, institutional advancement.
OSB (includes SJU, Saint John’s Abbey, Liturgical Press and Saint John’s Preparatory School) - Nancy Beutz, custodial; Pam Broughton, dining service; Jeffrey Chounard, dining service; Russ Kilanowski, Abbey physical plant-plumbing; Cindy Maile, School of Theology; Donald Ottenhoff, Collegeville Institute; Mary Lou Rausch, Abbey housekeeping-laundry; Gail Schneider, Saint John’s Preparatory School; Timothy Ternes, The Saint John’s Bible project; Wayne Torborg, Hill Museum & Manuscript Library; Pam Wilder, custodial.

10 years:
CSB/SJU – Laurie Birr, information technology services; Susan Douma, academic affairs; Michael Ewing, counseling and health promotion; Karla Lauer, information technology; Jon McGee, institutional planning and research; Ganard Orionzi, environmental and health safety; Christine Sales, bookstore; Lynn Schultz, physics; Karen Storkamp, student accounts; Jeanne Terres, academic advising; Adam Wicklund, information technology services.
CSB - Shelly Athmann, student development; Sharon Braegelmann, facilities management; Michael Juntenen, transportation; Barbara Ries, culinary services; Marilyn Schindler, culinary services; Martha Schmitz, culinary services; Jane Schulzetenberg, custodial; James Schumann, facilities management.
OSB - Eileen Daniels, dining service; Robert Ellenbecker, Prep School; Kris Fremo, Prep School; Mary Ellenbecker Johnson, Prep School; Ralph Petersen, Abbey physical plant-plumbing; Mary Pflueger, Abbey housekeeping-laundry; Connie Rosenberger, Prep School custodial; Gail Studniski, dining service; Lisa Weyer, dining service; Jeff Wubbels, dining service; Joseph Vardas, athletics.

15 years:
CSB/SJU – Barbara Buesing, counseling and health promotion; James Gramke, information technology services; Nicole Joos, information technology services; Jason Kelly, academic advising; Mary Kron, bookstore; Vivian Krueger, communication and marketing services; David Malone, library; Neecy Terhaar, bookstore.
CSB – Gordon Smith, custodial; Cynthia Weymouth, president’s office.
OSB – Jim Gagliardi, athletics; Boni Heinen, Abbey housekeeping-laundry; Ginger Hoffman, dining service; Gerard Huhne, Abbey physical plant-electrical; Mary Kaasa, custodial; Mary Jo Leighton, Prep School; Lance Nydeen, Prep School; Todd Vierzba, life safety services.

20 years:
CSB/SJU - Greg Becker, communication and marketing services; Jacqueline Hampton, academic advising; Norma Koetter, history/Asian Studies; Mo Laube, registrar’s office; Don Renshaw, library; John Rocky, information technology services; Mark Shimota, academic advising; Mary Jo Waggoner, academic affairs.
CSB – Susan Palmer, business office; Luella Strand, culinary services.
OSB - Peter Dwyer, Liturgical Press; Janet Merdan, Abbey seamstress; Nancy Mitchell, Abbey retirement center; Lori Pfannenstein, Prep School; Dianne Rademacher, Abbey retirement center; Mary Sagissor, institutional advancement; Ralph Shay, custodial; Mary Streit, custodial; Benedict Trettel, Abbey garage.

25 years:
CSB/SJU – Deb Baggenstoss, admissions; Liola Dold, natural science; Judy Eggert, management, economics, accounting and finance; Sarah Pruett, modern and classical languages.
CSB - Roger Lutgen, power plant.
OSB - Richard Froehle, grounds; Jim Ficker, Liturgical Press; Eva Haber, Abbey physical plant-custodial services; Michael Roske, Abbey woodworking; Rev. Columba Stewart, OSB, Hill Museum & Manuscript Library; Cathy Wieme, institutional advancement.

30 years:
CSB/SJU – Mary Harlander-Locke, career services; Jane Haugen, financial aid; Pam Reding, academic affairs; Sue Zimmer, accounting, finance, management, economics.
CSB – Patricia Bogard, institutional advancement; Doris Gangl, purchasing.
OSB - Gary Braun, Abbey physical plant-carpentry; Barbara Frank, campus life; Betty Marquette, Liturgical Press; Jo Ann Myers, dining service; William Patefield, business office; Michael Percuoco, Prep School; Dave Philippi, dining service; Ann Sand, Abbey retirement center; David Schoenberg, dining services; Colleen Stiller, Liturgical Press.

35 years:
CSB/SJU –James Koenig, information technology services.
OSB - Patrick Haws, athletics.

45 years:
OSB – Br. Kelly Ryan, OSB, Abbey.

50 years:
CSB/SJU – Br. Andrew Goltz, OSB, library.
OSB - Rev. Thomas Gillespie, OSB, Abbey physical plant-signage.

55 years:
OSB – John Gagliardi, athletics.

Special awards
OSB Outstanding Administrator Award – Rob Culligan, institutional advancement. The award, named in honor of Fr. Vincent Tegeder, OSB, recognizes service and excellence within the Saint John’s administrative community – someone who embodies the spirit of Saint John’s, provides quality service and makes a powerful contribution to Saint John’s. Culligan, a St. Paul native, began his career at Saint John’s as an admissions counselor 27 years ago. Following several years working for Catholic organizations in Ohio and Colorado, he returned to Saint John’s. Since 1999, he has served as vice president for institutional advancement.

WOW Awards - This was the inaugural presentation of the awards, which were given to seven people who were recognized for their contributions to the CSB campus. The recipients were: Joan Pfannenstein (culinary services), who was recognized for her cheery disposition as a cashier at Gorecki Dining and Conference Center; Mike Durbin (athletics), who was recognized for winning his 500th career game as coach of the Blazers’ basketball team; Robin Balder-Lanoue (athletics), who was recognized for being named the MIAC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year; John Doman (transportation), who was recognized for his unique approach to making bus transportation between campuses a unique learning experience by asking trivia questions to students; Larry Schug (recycling coordinator), who was recognized for receiving one of four 2008 McKnight Artist Fellowships for Writers for his work in poetry; and Chris Brake and Mary Kay Plombon (grounds), who were recognized for their work in keeping the campus grounds beautiful.