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Nominate your next DOM STAR awardee for staff excellence


What is the DOM STAR Award for Staff Excellence? 

A quarterly recognition sponsored by the Department of Medicine as a time to honor our outstanding staff members, as nominated by their peers, for their exceptional contributions. Our achievements each quarter are a testament to the dedication of our remarkable staff, and it is essential to give them the recognition they deserve.

The DOM STAR Award winner for each quarter will receive the following:

  • Portfolio with nominations & congratulatory letters

  • Featured in Good News

  • Engraved Commemorative Award

  • Certificate

  • $250 check

  • SWAG Goodie Bag 


Meet Our DOM STAR Awardees 

Brittany Martin

Brittany Martin

SPRING 2024 WINNER
Clinical Research Administrator
Division of Infectious Diseases

Chriss Florkiewicz, MEd

Chriss Florkiewicz

WINTER 2023 WINNER
Senior HR Planning Generalist
Division of Preventive Medicine

Tim Fram

Tim Fram

FALL 2023 WINNER
Research Manager
Division of Infectious Diseases

Truman Grayson

Truman Grayson

FALL 2023 WINNER
Researcher V
UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center

Sharon Harris

Sharon Harris

SUMMER 2023 WINNER
Patient Services Coordinator II
Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Sheikilya Thomas, PhD, MPH

Sheikilya Thomas, PhD, MPH

SPRING 2023 WINNER
Program Director II
Division of Preventive Medicine

Aquila Brown-Galvan

Aquila Brown-Galvan

WINTER 2022 WINNER
Program Director II
Division of Infectious Diseases

Jamie White

Jamie White

FALL 2022 WINNER
Program Director II
Division of Infectious Diseases

Mary Thielen

Mary Thielen

FALL 2022 WINNER
Program Director II
Division of Infectious Diseases

Corene Knight

Corene Knight

FALL 2022 WINNER
Administration Office Specialist IV
Division of Nephrology

Angela Thomas, RN

Angela Thomas, RN

SUMMER 2022 WINNER
Nurse Coordinator
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine

Wayne Duck

Wayne Duck

SPRING 2022 INAUGURAL WINNER
Scientist I
Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology


Please consider the UAB Shared Values: We CARE when choosing the next DOM STAR: 

Collaborate

Collaborate

Work as a team for the greater good.

Act with Integrity

Act with Integrity

Be accountable and do the right thing.

Respect All

Respect All

Champion diversity and opportunities for all with civility.

Excel

Excel

Innovate and strive for excellence.



Employee STAR Award Policy

University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine
EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER
Service Excellence Award for Outstanding Staff in the Department of Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham

The Department of Medicine Employee of the Quarter selection process has been developed out of a desire to highlight the exceptional efforts of individuals working within in the Department of Medicine. Such individuals stand out among their peers not only for the successful execution of their work assignments, but also because of their dedication, creativity, and actions toward improving the atmosphere we all work in, and increasing the welfare of patients and fellow staff members and faculty.

POLICY

  • A. Committee Membership

    A. Committee Membership

    1. In the inaugural year, The Employee of the Quarter Selection Committe (subsequently called Selection Committee) shall be composed of those members of the Employee Recognition committee who worked to re-vamp the previous Employee of the Month Program. Each member will serve two terms, unless directed by the Chair of the Selection Committee, and will be replaced by winners of the Employee of the Quarter program.

      In the inaugural year, the Chair of the Selection Committee will be appointed by the DOM Area Leads, however subsequent years the Selection Committee will vote for the Chair at the first meeting in January of each year. The Selection Committee chair shall preside over this committee and coordinate the discharge of its responsibility. 

    2. Nominations will be submitted the first two months of each quarter, closing the last day of the Second Month. Committee meeting/voting will take place the second Friday of the third month.

    3. An ad hoc committee on procedures, when needed, shall be established in order to provide guidance and continuity to the Selection Committee, observe the execution of the selection procedure, and comment on the development of the policy. This non-voting body serves at the pleasure of the Selection Committee Chair. The previous Selection Committee chair is the only mandated member of this committee. Other representatives from the Department of Medicine may petitition for inclusion on this committee. No division shall be represented by more than one person on the ad hoc committee. No person shall serve on the ad hoc committee more than two (2) consecutive years. The inclusion of organizational representatives is welcomed within the guidelines presented, but should not be considered mandatory or essential to the execution of the Selection Committee's duty.

  • B. Nomination Criteria

    B. Nomination Criteria

    1. Nominees must be in continuous service to the Department of Medicine for at least twelve (12) months.  

    2. Nominees must be regular status UAB or HSF employees of the Department of Medicine. Also eligible are regular status employees of a University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center affiliated with the Department of Medicine by the Center's Director being a Department of Medicine Faculty member.

    3. Former Employees of the Quarter are eligible for subsequent nominations twelve (12) Quarters following selection.

    4. Employees are eligible for nomination for Employee of the Quarter independent of ethnicity, race, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, age, faith, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, physical appearance or disability, or veteran status.

    5. Nominations to be considered should be in the format outlined in the Employee of the Quarter nomination form.

    6. Nominations for Employee of the Quarter may be submitted by all employees, including division directors, administrators, faculty and staff, etc.

    7. Nominations are encouraged for employees who exhibit exceptional performance, who embody the principles of the UAB Shared Values: Integrity, Respect, Diversity and Inclusiveness, Collaboration, Excellence and Achievement, Stewarship, and Accountability.

    8. Self-nominations are not acceptable and are inconsistent with the spirit of the Employee of the Quarter recognition.

    9. Members of the Selection Committee and the ad hoc procedure committee are not eligible to nominate Employees of the Quarter during their tenure.

  • C. Selection of the Employee of the Quarter

    C. Selection of the Employee of the Quarter

    1. Only nominations received the first two months of the quarter will be considered for selection for the following quarter. Nominations received after that date will be added to the next quarter's agenda.

    2. DOM HR will contact the supervisor of the candidate to identify any difficulties with attendance or performance.

    3. Each nomination will be read by the Selection Committee and will be considered equally without comments (positive or negative) or compaigning. 

    4. After all nominees have been reviewed by each committee member, each member will cast a vote and turn that into the Chair.

    5. The nominee with the highest votes will be considered the chosen employee of the next quarter.

    6. In case of a tie, there will be a second vote. The winner will be the member with the earliest service date.

    7. Nominees not selected are included on the next quarter's selection agenda. The nominees are not selected for next two (2) consecutive committee meetings will be returned to the nominating person(s) with encouragement to revise and resubmit the nomination.

  • D. Miscellaneous

    D. Miscellaneous

    1. All committee members will keep the name of the selected Employee of the Quarter in confidence, pending official presentation. Failure of any member to respect this procedure will result in their dismissal from the selection process. No alternate will be accepted for a position vacated for this reason.

    2. All committee members are expected to attend all the selection meetings.

    3. The Employee of the Quarter selection for the next quarter is presented to the Department of Medicine, Executive Administrator, by the end of the third week of the current quarter.

    4. The employee selected should be notified the last week of the previous quarter in order to enjoy a full quarter of deserved recognition.

  • E. Awards

    E. Awards

    1. The awards will be presented by the Chair of the Department of Medicine, or the Executive Administrator or his/her designee, at a reception honouring the recipient. As part of the awards presentation, the Chair/Executive Administrator or designee will present the nomination form(s) submitted on behalf of the award recipient. The reception will be held during a time reserved for the Quarterly Award Presentation.

    2. The Employee of the Quarter will receive various gifts and awards from the Chair office, to include a monetary award with per IRS regulations, must be reported as taxable income.

    3. A copy of the recipient's nomination form(s) will be placed in the recipient's permanent departmental personnel file at the end of the quarter.

 

Department of Medicine STAR Program

Congratulations to your staff member for being DOM's STAR Employee of the Quarter!

Outlined below are the steps the Division needs to take to notify the employee and to plan the EOM reception.

  • The Division will be responsible for their own celebration of the STAR quarterly winner, but DOM will provide a gathering to celebrate all four quarterly winners during Jan/Feb of the following year.

There are two dates the division needs to schedule:

  • Notify the Employee: Members of the Chair's Office staff, usually Shane Wiley, Cindy Joiner and/or Lauryn Schultz, and Doug Royal, will come to your division to make a surprise announcement to the STAR Winner (AKA "Ambush"). Plan how you would like for this to occur. It can be during a staff meeting or simply surprising the person in their office or via Zoom Meeting. The notification needs to occur as soon as possible after the first of the month. Contact DOM Chair's office at 934-0700 to schedule the "ambush". They have access to everyone's calendar.

  • Quarterly Reception: Each division can plan their own celebration for the DOM STAR program quarterly winner.

  • Annual Reception (Jan/Feb each year): The Department of Medicine will schedule a date when the Chair and/or Shane Wiley, along with other area leads, are available. The STAR winner for each quarter, and their colleagues (Division Director, Supervisor, Division Administrator), friends and family will be encouraged to attend.

  • Congratulatory notes and letters: After the announcement is made, please ask supervisors and co-workers for congratulatory notes/letters for us to include in the winner's portfolio. You may send these notes/letters to DOMHR in FOT1233 no later than one day before the reception. 

The DOM Chairs Office staff will bring the following to the reception:

  • Portfolio with nominations & congratulatory letters

  • Engraved Commemorative Award

  • Certificate

  • $250 check for each quarterly winner

  • SWAG Goodie Bag

Nominate Your Next STAR Award Recipient NOW!Nominate Your Next STAR Award Recipient NOW!