Operational Excellence Awards

Award Categories

12 Outstanding Staff Awards

An excellence nomination for staff signifies the high esteem in which these individuals are held by their peers and colleagues. Our 12 individual winners will each receive a maximum award of $500.00 and a special memento.

Two Outstanding Team Awards

Teamwork is defined as the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives and demonstrate their ability to work together toward a common vision. Our team winners will each receive a monetary award, not to exceed $2,000 combined or $500 individually, and a special memento.

Two New Employee Impact Awards

The New Employee Impact Award recognizes two employees in Operations who have been employed by Operations for less than two years for commitment to excellence through outstanding customer service, leadership, initiative and responsible stewardship. The recipients will receive a maximum award of $500.00 and a special memento.

Two Visionary Awards

This award recognizes two administrators (director Level and above) for visionary leadership and demonstrated success in advancing the mission of Operations. Our Visionary Award winners will receive a maximum award of $500.00 and a special memento.

Eligibility Criteria

All classified and non-classified employees within Operations who meet the following criteria are eligible for nomination:

• Must be a full-time employee and budgeted at least 50%.
• Visionary Award must have the title of director (or related title) or above. For all other awards, must have a title below the level of director (or related title).
• With the exception of the New Employee Impact Award, all individual award nominees must have a minimum of two years of service within Operations.
• Eligibility for the team awards is based on the same criteria outlined above, except that the majority of the members on a nominated team must have a minimum of one year of service within the nominating unit or division within Operations.

Nomination Process

Employees within Operations may submit a nomination for the Operational Excellence Awards. Only those submitted using the online nomination form by March 18, 2026, will be reviewed and considered. 

Remember, you must log in using your NetID and password. Once logged in, you will be able to review award criteria, employee eligibility and submit nominations.

Remember your audience

As you write your nomination, keep in mind that the selection committee reviews a large number of nominations, using a matrix with specific criteria. Your goal is to write a clear, direct, easy to read explanation of why your nominee deserves the award. Delivering the information well will allow the committee to judge the candidate, not the writing.

Use keywords from the award criteria

It should be easy for the reviewers to see how the individual or team meets the award criteria. As you review the award criteria to determine whether the individual or team meets the criteria for the award, note any keywords, such as the Aggie Core Values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service, and collaboration or effectiveness. Use these keywords to introduce specific examples of outstanding behavior.

Provide necessary background information

Nominees will be anonymous to the selection committee. Include any relevant information about the nominee’s job duties that will help the committee understand how the nominee has gone “above and beyond”.

Note: Provide only an overview and relevant details, not a comprehensive list of job duties. A lengthy job description will distract from the purpose of the nomination.

Give specific examples

Creative writers are told to “show, not tell,” and researchers have to provide data to prove their claims. When you write a nomination, you are making a case for your nominee, and you want the committee to see what you see. Instead of general statements about your nominee’s great traits, focus on how the individual’s work and behavior reflect those traits:

• Describe how the nominee’s work performance reflects specific Texas A&M University Core Values.
• Recount a situation in which the nominee has served as a role model and/or mentor for others.
• List activities that demonstrate a pattern of professional development
• Detail specific accomplishments and their
• Explain how the nominee has exhibited service to the university or the community.

Prioritize the strongest examples

Don’t save the best for last. A reader’s attention is most focused at the beginning of a document. Provide the strongest evidence — the topics that speak most directly to the award criteria or the ones that have the strongest examples — at the beginning, so that you convince the committee before their interest begins to wane. This is particularly important when materials are reviewed electronically.

Start a new paragraph when you start a new idea

Long paragraphs lose readers. Shorter paragraphs make it easier for a reviewer to read quickly and still absorb the information. When you include multiple examples of excellence in one paragraph, make sure they communicate a unified idea, e.g., “initiative.” Be sure to introduce each paragraph with a clear topic sentence: “Over the past year, [name] has frequently taken initiative to advance department projects such as…”

Make every word count

Your nomination narrative should be easy to read and comprehend, and concise. Descriptive or flowery language often distracts from the meaning of a sentence and slows a reader down. While you focus on your specific examples, consider the following:

• Avoid empty words and phrases (e.g., “gets the job done,” “for the most part,” “raised the bar”)
• Limit your use of adjectives (e.g., “great,” “excellent,” “stellar”)
• Avoid phrases that focus on you as the writer (“I feel,” “I truly believe,” “In my opinion”)

Shorter, focused sentences will represent your nominee more efficiently, and with more impact.

Proofread for grammar, spelling, typos and editing errors

While no one should lose out on a reward because of someone else’s grammar, there will be many excellent nominations, and first impressions count. Having to read through errors slows down reading, diverts reader attention from examples, and might influence the reviewer subconsciously. Check for grammar and spelling errors, typos, autocorrect errors and any words that might have been left behind during a cut-and-paste.

Note: An additional set of eyes can help. Consider asking a colleague to help you proofread. Microsoft Word’s Editor tool (on the Review tab) can also be useful. Always give it one more read before you click to submit.

Award Selection Process and Selection Advisory Committee

An anonymous committee outside of the division will make the selections. The committee will use a specific scoring matrix, and will review and score all the nominations.

2025

• Cesar Barragan
• Jenn Bradley*
• Shannon Caldwell
• Sai Brindha Kapalayam
• Andrew Dean Mantooth
• Onyekachi Udeka
• Shanna Wright

2024

• Ian Archibald
• Blake Dworaczyk*
• Diego Ibarra
• Michael Martin
• Allison Oslund
• Tyson Reddic
• Darryus Vaughn

*Recipients of the Innovation Award, which was absorbed by the Outstanding Staff Award category for the 2026 nomination period forward. 

2025: Transit Training Team

• Patrick Clement
• L.J. Estrada
• Scottie Johnson
• Seth Pocock
• Mike Rippingham
• Mark Rodriguez
• Rayne Sibley
• Paul Zuckert

2024: Unified Apple Device Management Team 

• Andrew Barnett
• Kyle Gilmore
• Stephen Johnson
• Shem Miller
• Oscar Reyes
• Danielle Rogers

2025

• Phil Curley

2024

• Jonathan Warren

2025

• Julie Gardner

2024

• Mike Johnson