Presidential Award winners Wanda Bride and Dr. Thomas Owens

Durham, NC - One award winner spends a lot of her time thinking about improving patient and employee safety. Another comes up with imaginative ways to keep campus buildings heated and cooled and the employees working in them comfortable.

This year's Presidential Award winners have diverse jobs, but what they share in common is the willingness to make the extra effort to do their work in exceptional ways. Today, President Richard H Brodhead honors the six award winners, and dozens of recipients of Presidential Meritorious Awards, at the annual awards luncheon at the Washington Duke Inn and Hotel.

The award is the university's highest honor for employees. Each winner received a Presidential Medallion and a check for $1,000 at the luncheon. The award honors employees who have an overall performance record that regularly exceeds expectations, has completed a significant task for the university or health system or whose efforts have improved quality and productivity or resulted in cost savings.

This year a new category, executive leadership was added to four previous groups. Here are this year's winners:

Service/maintenance category:

Dennis Woody, facilities management -- HVAC

Clinical/Professional-Non Managerial

Brooke Berson, procurement

Executive Leadership

Wanda Bride, cardiology nursing

Dr. Thomas Owens, hospital medicine, Department of Medicine

Managerial

Yunliang Yu, math

Clerical/Office Support

Marcus Butts, Duke University Press