In recognition of their distinguished accomplishments, 79 Penn staff members have won the 2016 Models of Excellence Award. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, April 21, at 4 p.m. in Irvine Auditorium, followed by a reception. The Penn community is welcome to join the festivities.

Launched in 1999 by the Division of Human Resources, the Models of Excellence Program honors staff in three categories: Models of Excellence, Pillars of Excellence, and Model Supervisor. The award comes with a $500 cash prize and a symbolic award. Honorable mentions receive $250 and a symbolic award.

Models of Excellence honors go to two teams of staff members: the Penn Wellness/“Be in the Know” Team for implementing a University-wide health initiative, and the Penn Wharton China Center Project Team for advancing research opportunities and fostering the University’s faculty and student relationships with Chinese partners. The Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES) ACE Mentor Team, the Springfield Mills Restoration Team, and the Wharton Course Match Team received honorable mentions.

Pillars of Excellence Awards, recognizing weekly paid support staff members, go to Brian Anders of Development and Alumni Relations and Greg Szydlowski of FRES for exemplary customer service. Collin Anthony of the College Houses and Academic Services, S. Tyler Hoffman of the Wharton School, and Wilma Smith of Residential and Hospitality Services were awarded honorable mentions.

At the ceremony, one of these three honorees will be named Model Supervisor: Gary Garofalo of Parking Services and Business Services; Erika Gross of Student Health Service; and Rosey Nissley of Administrative Information Services and Information Systems & Computing.

A 24-member selection committee comprised of faculty, weekly paid staff, supervisors, and past Models of Excellence honorees chose the winners based on their achievements that went above and beyond job and performance expectations.

The ceremony—always a fun-filled affair—is reminiscent of the Academy Awards and similar televised awards programs. Models of Excellence winners get the red carpet treatment and are feted like stars. A new video featuring many of the honorees is screened to open the ceremony. Amid cheers from co-workers and invited guests, winners are presented their award onstage.

“As we move from excellence to eminence, the Models of Excellence Program continues to recognize and reward employee engagement and terrific service to the University,” says Jack Heuer, vice president of the Division of Human Resources. “The Models of Excellence is an event; what makes it a ceremony is the University citizenship that is displayed and recognized.”