Gregovich Nominated for Distinguished Staff Award

by Randi Adair

Recently, Cindy Gregovich joined an elite group of Financial Management employees, those who have been nominated for a Distinguished Staff Award. This award is the most prestigious form of recognition that a University of Washington staff member can receive. Cindy was nominated by members of Equipment Inventory (EIO), the Travel Office, and Computing and Communications.

As the leader of both Travel and Equipment Inventory Offices, Cindy manages time, resources, and people with efficiency. This means balancing direct involvement in the operation of her departments with trust in her employees' abilities to handle situations on their own. Diane Harker, Travel Card Administrator and a member of the nominating team, commented on Cindy's participatory style: "She is both a leader and a team player, and has developed an exceptional working partnership with the staff of EIO and Travel."

Cindy's employees stress her commitment to staff development as a key reason for her nomination. Linda Arcand, a Fiscal Specialist in EIO, explains that Cindy delegates tasks that challenge staff members' abilities. She remembers an incident last summer where Cindy found a way to turn a relatively mundane task into a networking opportunity:

"Last year, our pending asset count was getting rather high. Those are assets that have been received by the department, but not tagged. Cindy came up with the innovative idea of having an internal contest. All of the employees in Equipment Inventory were given several departments to work with in getting the pending assets cleared. She made getting the pending assets cleared fun, rather than a chore. She is always looking for ways to make our work more interesting."

Chris Wall, Federal Program Coordinator for EIO and another nominator, commented that in so many ways, Cindy exemplifies the goals that Financial Management's Quality Improvement Program seeks to promote. Cindy does not offer her staff support and encouragement in order to garner popularity, but because she truly cares about their well-being. "Cindy is so respected because she does what is necessary, not what people want her to do. Her managing skills tap into her staff's strengths and motivations [encouraging them] to reach higher standards in their work and personal lives. She is definitely a strong, strong leader."

Although Cindy was not among the finalists, being nominated by co-workers and process partners for such an important recognition is a real reflection of Cindy's positive impact on Financial Management.