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Nominate Co-workers for Presidential Awards

Deadline for nominations for distinctive contributions closes Feb. 15

President Richard H. Brodhead chats with LaMonica Hunter, a Meritorious Service Award winner, at the Presidential Award Luncheon in 2012. Photo by Duke Photography.
President Richard H. Brodhead chats with LaMonica Hunter, a Meritorious Service Award winner, at the Presidential Award Luncheon in 2012. Photo by Duke Photography.

Feb. 15 is the deadline to nominate colleagues for the Presidential Awards, the highest recognition given to faculty and staff at Duke University and Duke University Health System.

Up to five Presidential Award winners and 25 Meritorious Service Award winners will be selected for distinctive contributions during 2012.

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Donald Lane, building and grounds superintendent at the Duke Marine Lab, wrote a letter of recommendation for Michael Golden, a Presidential Award winner from 2011. Golden received the Presidential Award for his preparation and response to Hurricane Irene.

"The nomination process is not difficult, and it was a great way to publicly acknowledge some great work," Lane said.

Nominees are recognized for overall performance that has consistently exceeded expectations, completion of an especially formidable task for the University or Health System, or work that has resulted in measurable improvements in quality, productivity, cost savings or safety.

President Richard H. Brodhead will present each Presidential Award recipient with a Presidential Medallion and check for $1,000 at a luncheon April 18. During the luncheon, he will also present an award and check for $100 to each Meritorious Service Award recipient. Winners also receive copies of all nomination letters.

Tami Tuck, program coordinator for Duke Integrative Medicine, received a Presidential Award in 2010 and served on the selection committee for the 2011 winners.

Tuck said that choosing winners was a rewarding experience.

"It was awesome to realize bosses, co-workers and peers were taking time out of their busy schedules to thank people for going above and beyond the call of duty," she said. "Although not everyone won, every letter written was surely cherished by the recipients."

To be eligible for nomination, employees must be permanent, full-time staff or faculty employed in their current position for at least one full year. They must also be free from any disciplinary actions for the past five years. Previous Presidential Award winners are not eligible for re-nomination. However, Meritorious Service Award winners can be re-nominated. Nomination forms are available at hr.duke.edu/presidential.