HR Employee Excellence Awards


The HR Employee Excellence Awards recognize UAB Human Resources staff members for their exceptional contributions to the department and to UAB as a whole. Awards are presented annually in four categories aligned with select UAB Shared Values — two staff awards, a team award and a leadership award. HR staff are invited to submit nominations throughout the year; awards are presented each spring during the annual HR Service Awards reception.

Nominations for the 2022 HR Employee Excellence Awards are now open.
Select a category below to submit a nomination.

  • Driving Change Award

    The Driving Change Award is given to a staff member who has generated valuable ideas and used these ideas to develop new or improved processes, methods, systems, programs or services. The award recognizes creative ideas that have improved HR. Nominees for this award should have demonstrated a combination of the following:

    • Identified strategies that are in the best interests of HR
    • Looked for creative approaches to provide/improve services that increase efficiency and effectiveness or developed a solution to a difficult existing problem, through a new method or approach
    • Suggested and worked toward implementation of new services, programs and/or systems


    Download the Driving Change nomination form, save as a PDF and submit via the "Submit a Nomination" link below.

  • Service Excellence Award

    The Service Excellence Award is to recognize a staff member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve co-workers and/or members of the UAB community. Nominees for this award should have demonstrated a combination of the following:

    • Provided outstanding service to their specific department or division
    • Showed willingness to assist beyond normal expectations
    • Sought ways to continuously improve satisfaction and remove barriers when providing services to members of the university community
    • Anticipated clients' needs and potential problems before they occurred


    Download the Service Excellence nomination form, save as a PDF and submit via the "Submit a Nomination" link below.

  • Collaboration Award

    The Collaboration Award is to recognize a collection of individuals who exemplifies collaboration and cooperation. Nominees for this award should have demonstrated a combination of the following:

    • Worked positively and productively with other team members towards a shared goal
    • Developed and demonstrated cooperation and collaboration, while displaying outstanding group effort
    • Consistently offered support, assistance and encouragement to co‐workers
    • Demonstrated significant contribution to success of UAB and achieved outcome(s)


    Download the Collaboration nomination form, save as a PDF and submit via the "Submit a Nomination" link below.

  • Outstanding Leadership Award

    The Outstanding Leadership Award is given to a manager, director, executive director or unit lead who exemplifies significant leadership skills such as the ability to lead and guide staff, develop staff talents and successfully manage an efficient and effective unit at the highest level; has promoted teamwork and collaboration across HR and the UAB community; has worked quietly behind the scenes to improve his or her unit and HR as a whole; and who has consistently done so with a positive attitude. Nominees for this award should have demonstrated a combination of the following:

    • Demonstrates a high level of initiative, responsibility and resourcefulness within HR or the UAB community
    • Develops trust and credibility through open, respectful communication
    • Provides a sense of purpose, vision and mission for their co‐workers and/or staff by investing time and effort in developing others
    • Positively influences others to build consensus in group, departmental or organizational settings
    • Manages and/or champions change effectively through formal or informal leadership


    Download the Outstanding Leadership nomination form, save as a PDF and submit via the "Submit a Nomination" link below.

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2021 AWARDS

  • Driving Change: Jimmy Freeman and Mike Maner (TIE)
  • Service Excellence: Courtney McDonald
  • Collaboration: Records ACT Document Team and Conflict Series for Management Development Team (TIE)
  • Outstanding Leadership: Earlisha Williams

2014  |  2015  |  2016  |  2017  |  2018  |  2019  |  2020


Nominations are open through January 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. An outside selection committee will review and score submissions for category based on the criteria listed above, and will make award recommendations to the CHRO. If an employee wins an award, he/she is not eligible to win an award the following year.