Last week, the University honored 547 employees who had reached service milestones from five to 40 years during the annual service recognition celebration at the Bryant Conference Center.
Employees from UA administrative divisions, the office of the President, as well as staff from all 12 colleges and schools were represented, and this year, the 10-year category boasted the most honorees. Approximately two-thirds of those honored attended the celebration.
Susan Norton, associate vice president for human resources, kicked off the celebration, and honorees received congratulatory remarks from Vice President for Finance and Operations and Treasurer Dan Layzell before enjoying a reception including hors d’oeuvres and photo opportunities. Employees celebrating a milestone also received a certificate and a gift to commemorate the occasion.
Reflecting on 40 Years
Three UA employees celebrated forty years of service this year: Ahmad Ijaz, Center for Business and Economic Research executive director; Leon O’Neal, UA law library public services supervisor; and Stephen Lake, elevator maintenance systems coordinator. These veteran employees were invited to reflect on their time at UA.
All three remarked on the rise in campus enrollment during their time at UA. The campus has changed, not only in enrollment but also in terms of size and technology. Ijaz recalls the technology in 1985: “When I first started, we only had one PC at CBER…Back then, you could only do three years [of economic modeling] at a time, and then you had to go to Gordon Palmer to pick up your printout.”
Lake reflected with appreciation on the history he had been able to witness during his time at the University: visits by sitting presidents of the United States and U.S. Senators as well as the rise of several nationally-recognized athletes.
A long tenure means years of opportunities to make a significant impact. O’Neal expressed pride in the growth of his competence since he started at UA. “When I first started, you know, I was green,” he said. “Never worked at a library before.” At this point, he has worked at every library on campus except the map and health sciences libraries.
Ijaz, for his part, appreciates the ways that CBER, during his time there, produced policy initiatives that resulted in positive changes to the law.
Going forward, Ijaz plans to continue working part-time. O’Neal anticipates retirement and travel. He would love to see England and Paris. But all three men marveled at how fast the time went by.
“It really doesn’t seem like it’s been 40 years,” said Lake.