A quick note of thanks for all your efforts renovating the Gelman Library. The new signage, fixtures, lighting and various other components that we can see look fantastic! Hoping the HVAC system repairs are going smoothly. Please forward along this thanks to anyone whom I’ve missed on behalf of all those who work, study, and visit the Gelman Library.
Regards,
Ann
From Harold Speed to Mike Akeya
“See how Mike Akeya cleaned up after himself after completing a job in a JBKO room?.. What does he have in his hand? He didn’t leave any trash in the students room. He did his job correctly. “
From Jimmy to Brenda, John Cook, and the overnight HSKP team for cleaning, etc.
From Harold to Charles Mayfield for the new carpet on the 1st floor of Support and the refresh of Facilities Central.
From Jimmy to India for all of her move-in support.
From Almasi to the HVAC team for help with the Ross Hall outages last week.
From Jeffrey to Eric Hamilton for staying on top of emails.
From Matt Andrews to Jose Ventura and all that were in the newsletter for the 5-star reviews.
From Laura Abate to Julio and Tony: “HUGE thanks to Julio and Tony – fixing the mural is such an improvement to the library. The mural reflects the values shared across nursing, medicine, and public health and it was designed by GW students a few years ago. It’s something very special in the library and I’m so grateful that it’s looking good again – and I have to say, it’s looking more than good as it looks new!”
Sonny Saadi to Iasia Vaugh
I want to thank Iasia Vaugh, one of our Housekeeping Leads.
I am writing to thank you for your unwavering dedication and hard work in maintaining a clean and comfortable living space for us. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and make a significant difference in our day-to-day lives. Your exceptional dedication is truly appreciated.
During my visit to Thurston Hall on January 11th, 2024, at around 9:00 am, I noticed our housekeeping staff working diligently in the lobby area. After she finished cleaning, I saw her inspecting the floor again and noticed a stain that she wasn’t satisfied with. Despite the distance between us, I was impressed by her dedication to her job. She went to her cart and got the tools to remove and clean the spot, setting a great example for others.
Once again, thank you for your exceptional dedication to your work. Your commitment to ensuring a clean and comfortable environment is truly admirable.”
From Harold Speed to the people that have been working on switchgear maintenance at Ross Hall.
From Anthony Grisset to Eslie Murraine Jr. and Sonny Saadi as well as Zone 3 & 4 guys as they are always open to assist the team.
From Nicolae to Monet Ballard for help with furniture.
From KC Costanzo to Anny Lin & Matt Andrews for sitting through numerous AiM meetings.
From Charles Mayfield to Dionne Thomas for Student staff appreciation cookout.
And for our final thank you we wanted to share this terrific note from one of our VIP collaborators Hellen Olumilua to Jose Guzman which hits a homerun on all of our DSO customer service goals:
Adam,
I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for Mr. Jose Guzman and his unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service. I have worked with Jose over the years and consistently demonstrated remarkable dedication, professionalism, and keen attention to detail, significantly enhancing the SMHS community, especially student satisfaction.
Jose’s ability to maintain such a high standard of service is truly commendable. His proactive approach and willingness to go above and beyond have not only met but exceeded our expectations on numerous occasions. Whether handling routine tasks or navigating complex challenges (like installing the mirrors in the Ross Hall Lobby), Jose approaches each responsibility with the same level of enthusiasm and meticulousness.
The consistency of his outstanding work has not gone unnoticed. Students, faculty, and staff alike have frequently remarked on Jose’s incredible work, his reliability, and the positive impact of his contributions. His exemplary work ethic and positive attitude make him an invaluable asset to the GW community.
Please extend my heartfelt gratitude to Jose for his exceptional efforts. His contributions set a benchmark for service excellence and inspire those around him to strive for the same dedication.
Thank you for fostering a work environment where individuals like Mr. Guzman can thrive and continuously deliver outstanding results.
Employee Appreciation Day was last week, but we’ve still got more high fives and backslaps to share.
From Brian Snyder and Betty Freyre (President’s Office) to Natalie Addison regarding President Granberg’s office renovation:
Betty: The President is extremely happy and everyone that has seen the office just loves it! GREAT JOB!! Brian: Great Job Natalie! Kudos to your attention to detail and customer service skills for successfully executing this important project!
From Pam Smith to Stephanie Stinfort, Natalie Addison (again!), and the BIG Admin Team:
I wanted to thank Stephanie Stinfort and the entire admin team for being patient and putting together nice touches for the new HR self service area. Thank you also to Natalie Addison for being patient and helping us make new selections for chairs in the new HR office space. 🙂
From Don Chamberlain to Pandorra Dickerson and the Ross Hall Housekeeping Team:
Just wanted to give a shout out to the Ross Hall housekeeping team. Too many names to list in this email but they are all appreciated. Today Pandorra cleaned up B43A for me because the floor was messy. The whole team does a great job.
We spend a lot of time talking about GW’s Service Priorities in DSF, so we’re always excited to share moments that exemplify our progress. FPCM got a big efficiency boost recently when Adam Poplin‘s Zone 2 team managed to cut the cost of a Lerner Health and Wellness project by more than 75%. An original contractor quote of $39k dropped all the way to a final total of just $9k when the work was done in house by the excellent Zone 2 staff.
Collette Coleman asked for FPCM’s assistance refreshing the Rec Sports Suite and the team delivered a high quality solution. When all was said and done, the suite got a fresh coat of paint, brand new ceiling tiles, and updated lighting. DSF Interim VP Baxter Goodly had this to say: “The successful completion of this project is a testament to the tremendous talent and dedication of our Facilities team. Not only did they refurbish and brighten this office suite, they saved GW over $30,000. Well Done!”
And just like that we’re back for another Kudos Roundup. Have more you’d like to share? Send them to us!
From the FPCM Leadership Meeting to Adam Poplin:
“From many on the leadership team to Adam Poplin for leading an excellent AiM Query Training in December that was very helpful to many.”
From Doreen Walters-Brooks to Terrence Bell:
“Thank you Terrence for shampooing our SEH Suite 3000 carpet today. We appreciate you managing to squeeze our request in at such short notice despite your very busy schedule. It is finally nice to see those ugly stains gone and we will return in January to a clean carpet.That was an amazing job well done!“
BeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfter
From student Isabella Marte to Brionna Carter:
My name is Isabella Marte and I am a student at The George Washington University.
I recently had the pleasure of experiencing exceptional service from one of your drivers, Brionna.
I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and commend the outstanding performance of Brionna. From the moment she picked me up to the end of the journey, Brionna displayed a remarkable level of professionalism, courtesy, and skill.
Not only was Brionna punctual and ensured a safe and comfortable ride, but her friendly demeanor and attentiveness truly stood out. It is evident that she takes great pride in her work and goes above and beyond to provide a positive experience for GW students.
As someone who values excellent service, I believe it is crucial to acknowledge and appreciate individuals like Brionna who consistently uphold the standards of GW and the Safe Ride Program in general.
I am very appreciative of Brionna and her outstanding serviceand I wanted to make sure her efforts are recognized.
Thank you for your time. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.
We’ve tallied up the totals for 2023 and we’ve got three trophies to hand out for the most Five Star FixIt reviews! In total, 119 separate people received over 400 kudos from customers last year. That’s a lot of appreciation to go around! Thank you all for making 2023 a customer service success and congratulations to Souk Vongs, Brian Johnson, and Terry Branch! We’ll connect with you to make sure you get your trophies. Final results for the top ten are below.
Souk Vongs – 16 Brian Johnson – 14 Terrence Branch – 14 Carl Bryant – 12 Raymond Wallace – 12 Jose Ventura – 11 Christopher Gammon – 10 Jose Melgar – 9 Julio Martinez – 9 Nestor Fuentes – 9
Thurston Hall has been awarded LEED platinum certification and GW Today is all over this tremendous achievement. As our chief news source explains, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a widely used rating system to recognize “green” building. Check out the article for quotes from our very own Director of Sustainability Josh Lasky and Assistant Vice President for Construction Management and Campus Planning Adam Aaronson.
Josh Lasky: “When I lived in Thurston, it was a much different space,” Lasky said. “I’m a little jealous that students today have such an incredible living environment to enjoy in one of the most progressively designed green buildings in the District of Columbia.”
Adam Aaronson: “Being able to achieve the energy savings while reusing an existing historic structure is certainly a challenge. And the team really rose to the challenge. This really took the collective effort of the design team, the construction team and all of the dozens of people at GW that were involved.”
This week’s kudos are throwbacks from earlier in the year that we need to catch up on! Have more you’d like to share? Send them to us!
From Emily Dieker to Monet Ballard, Greg Brooks, Adam Poplin, Sonny Saadi, Natalie Addison, Jason Neves, Hilda Merche, Joseph Chavis, and Rosa (whew!):
I wanted to send a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you and your teams for your assistance in the GWorld relocation and renovation efforts this summer. I know none of this was in our summer plans, but you all responded quickly and efficiently to our emergency needs and requests and we couldn’t have gotten through this summer without you. Your efforts ensured that the GWorld Office was able to stay open and fully functioning all summer, and we were able to move back into a renovated office just in time for students returning. It’s truly remarkable to realize that the GWorld renovation was fully planned and executed in only 3 weeks, and despite all the work and disruption to our space we never had to close or turn away customers.
Specific Thanks to:
Monet, Greg & Moving Masters for your help moving the GWorld Office in June and August
Adam & Sonny for your oversight of the GWorld renovation and making sure the renovation stayed on schedule
Natalie for your design efforts and making sure the renovation stayed on schedule
Jason, Hilda, Rosa, & Joe for your repeated cleaning and help with bulk trash and recycling
Baxter for your high level support and appreciation of the urgency of our needs, and for assigning the right people to get the job done.
My apologies if I’ve missed anyone.
Your efforts are a reflection of the outstanding work and leadership of FPCM and I’m truly grateful!
From Emily Dieker to Diamond Newman:
I wanted to pass on Kudos to Diamond from Facilities Central. She noticed all MVC GWorld readers were offline (very soon after the network went down) and did the exact right thing of calling the GWorld emergency line. Her quick response altered me to the issue, and I was in turn able to alert Housing, Facilities, and GWIT leadership to the issue in the very early stages.
From Zoe Saunders with Chartwells to Erika Argueta, Cecilia Melendez, and Corrina:
I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the ladies who are maintaining the restrooms and the dining area floors and tables each day. They shocked me when they cleaned the bases of the high-top tables. I had been looking at them and made up my mind to have one of my utility workers do a deep cleaning project and detail the table bases. When I walked him over to show him what I wanted done I had to take a step back. They were already spotless. I told him never mind and had him clean something else.
These ladies are fantastic! Please thank Erika, Cecilia and Corrina for me. They’re amazing!
From CLRE’s Lacy Myrman to Eric Hamilton and Roland Brown:
I just wanted to share my appreciation for how Eric and Roland have been super helpful for events recently. They have taken initiative, been eager to assist, made themselves available, and quick to respond. On two occasions, they’ve really shown up and helped with last minute asks, which has really taken the pressure off of me and allowed me to focus on managing other aspects of the events I was managing. They’ve made sure the experience of our attendees was positive and seamless and all of the minor details were attended to, and guests and attendees have shared that feedback with me as well. Please extend my gratitude to them for all they do. 🙏
From Hellen Olumilua with SMHS to Kathya Rodriguez:
I am joining other teams on the 4th floor to give a shout-out to Kathya, the housekeeper on the 4th floor. She goes above and beyond to keep the 4th floor clean. Jackie(copied on this email) stopped by and expressed how detailed Kathya’s cleaning is, and I echoed that. Her attention to detail is a breath of fresh air coupled with her sunny disposition… She is definitely a great addition.
Ah, a good ol’ fashioned Kudos Roundup! It’s been awhile since we’ve done one of these! Kudos for DSF staff can come in many forms, from emails alerting supervisors to a job well done to direct praise from managers in a meeting. We’ll be collecting these kudos for all to see right here in this feature. Take a look!
From Betty Freyre in the Office of the President to Sonny Saadi: I wanted to let you know that we have been working with Sonny for a couple of months now, and I have to tell you that he has been phenomenal. He found a solution to the outdoor patio doors that required a locking mechanism, he worked with the carpenters to reconstruct the President’s office bookshelves, installed the handrails for the steps to the outdoor patio, and ordered new shades that were damaged a few months ago. He is truly a professional, very kind and easy to work with. We are lucky to have him!
From HR’s Pam Smith to Eslie Murraine: I will give a proper shout out to Eslie; but wanted to let you know that he has been very helpful to HR. Mainly me but yesterday I fell under the weather and Eslie was able to take over the interview/ applicant that came in for his interview and he also followed up with me today.
He is very much appreciated, especially at last minute’s notice when I was in a jam. There have been other occasions when Eslie is very responsive and willing to move along with the interview process in a timely manner. Kudos to Eslie.
From Richard Donovan to Roger White: On behalf of everyone in HR at VSTC, especially Diane Conners and Kellie Wall who were more involved in our recent renovations; they really wanted to point out that Roger went above and beyond, was on top of everything and knew what was going on when questions came up. They said he has a great attitude and was very calm and supportive as things were happening.
From Brenda Bradley with Anthropology to Monet Ballard, Matt Andrews, and Eslie Murraine: I am writing in my capacity as Chair of the Anthropology Department to let you know how amazing it has been to work with Monet Ballard, Matt Andrews, Eslie Murraine and the rest of the team to relocate one of our faculty offices. The move was difficult for several reasons. It was urgent because there was mold in the space but also stressful and emotional because the faculty member had been in that office for decades and was very attached to the space. She also has a huge collection of books that are irreplaceable and of great academic value.
Monet and Matt handled the situation perfectly by listening thoroughly and compassionately to the faculty member’s concerns and also working efficiently to move all the materials in short order. Monet and her team also carefully arranged the books in the same order and the faculty member noted that it ‘felt like home’ when she stepped into the new office.
Matt and Eslie have also been so communicative and helpful in making repairs to the vacated office and preparing it for a new faculty member.
We are extremely grateful for Monet’s, Matt’s, and Eslie’s efforts, care, and attention, as well as their efficiency.
There have been other occasions when Eslie is very responsive and willing to move along with the interview process in a timely manner. Kudos to Eslie.