APSAC welcomes new members, presents Excellence Award
May 26, 2015
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Andrea Thomas (right), 2014-15 APSAC chair, passes the gavel to Joy May, who will serve as chair during 2015-16, during APSAC's recognition luncheon May 13. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) |
The Administrative and Professional Staff Advisory Committee recognized outgoing members and new members at its luncheon and meeting on Wednesday (May 13).
The committee also presented its fifth annual APSAC Excellence Award, which recognizes A/P staff who consistently perform at an outstanding level.
APSAC members who complete their terms this month and were honored for their service are David Bowker, Amy Childress, Kim De Leon (Fort Wayne), John Fassnacht, Elizabeth Hartley, Mark Kepler, Tyson McFall, Christopher Munt, Andrea Thomas and Benjamin Wiles. Four of them -- Childress, Fassnacht, McFall and Thomas -- have been elected emeritus members for 2015-16. Thomas is the outgoing chair.
The day also served as welcome for new members, who are scheduled for three-year terms officially starting June 1 and continuing through May 2018. The incoming members and their areas of representation are:
* Adrienne Albrecht, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, School of Management.
* Jackie Baumgardt, College of Engineering, Purdue Polytechnic Institute.
* Heather Brotherton, VP for Information Technology.
* Mark Evans, College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, School of Veterinary Medicine.
* Joelle Fleck, VP for Physical Facilities.
* Steve George, IPFW.
* Pamela Graf, College of Science.
* Johnathan Grant, Office of the President and areas reporting directly to the provost, Board of Trustees, VP for Public Affairs, WBAA.
* Caren Hanley, Office of the President and areas reporting directly to the provost, Board of Trustees, VP for Public Affairs, WBAA.
* Mike Hill, at-large member.
* Abby Hostetler, College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, School of Veterinary Medicine.
* Loran Parker, EVP for Research and Partnerships, Discovery Park.
* Ashley Sasala, Office of the President and areas reporting directly to the provost, Board of Trustees, VP for Public Affairs, WBAA.
* Jeff Turkstra, VP for Information Technology.
Officers for 2015-16 will be Joy May, chair, and Sam Guffey, vice chair. May is the current vice chair.
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Scott Kepner (center), senior research engineer in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, received the APSAC Excellence Award during the committee's recognition luncheon on May 13. He stands with Keith Kluender, head of the department, and Trent Klingerman, interim vice president for human resources. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) |
APSAC Excellence Award
A highlight of the luncheon was the presentation of the APSAC Excellence Award to Scott Kepner, senior research engineer in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Nominators wrote that year after year, Kepner excels at and exceeds the responsibilities of a manager of technical services.
For research planning, he finds out what equipment is on the market and often creates something new for a project exploring cutting-edge questions. Professors indicate that some successes in grant acquisition have hinged on having equipment that can do something unprecedented, and Kepner has come through. Some specifically tie his contributions in enabling pioneering research to the department's top three national ranking.
For ongoing work and meetings, he is quick to respond to equipment glitches or carry out upgrades. His thorough technical understanding of a wide range of equipment is matched by excellent ability to communicate about it and commitment to do so when it will help. Many students, a nominator wrote, have learned a perspective for critiquing and troubleshooting equipment from Kepner though they have no engineering background. And in some cases when a graduate student is finishing and heading out to a faculty position, he has helped the student compose a startup list.
Beyond a myriad of solutions on such matters and an exemplary customer service attitude, nominators say, he outdid himself in regard to the planning of Lyles-Porter Hall and the move to it in summer 2014. Even through two changes at department head, Kepner represented the needs and interests of the department with the architect, other Purdue units to be housed there, and other Purdue officials. And when it came time to prepare to move, he developed a system for packing, labeling and scheduling that accounted for everyone's preferences and avoided potential difficulties.
Kepner received a plaque and $1,500. More about the award is here. The award is sponsored by the Office of the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer.
Writer: Dan Howell, 765-494-2028, dhowell@purdue.edu
