Four COE staff members receive Awards for Excellence

Four outstanding staff members were recognized by the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University at the annual Awards for Excellence ceremony held May 9. Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, dean of the College, presented the awards at the James B. Hunt Jr. Library on Centennial Campus.

The Awards for Excellence program recognizes the accomplishments and achievements of permanent NC State employees at both the unit and University levels who do not hold faculty rank. Awards are given in two employment categories ¾ Exempt from the Human Resources Act (EHRA) employees are directly engaged in the activities of NC State’s mission of education, research and extension, while State Human Resources Act (SHRA) employees carry out a wide range of activities in support of NC State’s mission.

Tammy Coates, with the Department of Computer Science, was named one of the EHRA award winners. She was nominated in the category of Customer Service. Harvey West, with the Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics (CAMAL), was also named an EHRA award winner in the Customer Service category.

Mitch Amiano, with Information Technology and Engineering Computer Services, was one of the SHRA winners and received his award for the Public Service category. Charles Hall, with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was named the other SHRA award winner in the Human Relations category.

Coates is the assistant director of external relations for the Department of Computer Science. Her decade of outstanding service to students, faculty and staff members, corporate partners and alumni have made her an integral part of the department. She is often referred to as an “NC State parent” to students in the department, and she goes above and beyond to help anyone who needs her assistance. Coates is known as the go-to person in the department to get things done effectively.

West is a research associate professor in the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, where CAMAL is based. He is recognized for his willingness to help anyone who needs it, his reliability to help with tasks beyond the call of duty and his unfailing positive attitude. He guides tours of CAMAL and provides demonstrations of its capabilities. He also leads the CAMAL Product Testing and Evaluation Laboratory, which helps furniture companies and related industries answer questions about furniture design, construction and reliability.

Amiano is a senior web developer in Engineering Information Technology. Amiano’s IT expertise has supported the College’s business critical online tools, and he has been a mentor for student web developers who create auxiliary software for the College. Outside of NC State, he works tirelessly to make his community a better place by ensuring people have access to fresh food, cheering up children facing life-threatening illnesses and helping others improve their web design projects.

Hall is the communications coordinator for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. When he started in the department as webmaster, he hit the ground running and greatly improved the marketing and promotion efforts of the department through print and online materials, as well as through video. He rewrote and redesigned the department’s brochures and other collateral materials, took the lead on the department’s annual magazine and filmed and edited marketing videos.

The College’s winners received eight hours of paid time off, a $250 check and a plaque. They are also made eligible for the University-wide Awards for Excellence, when up to 12 individuals receive special distinction as recipients of the NC State University Awards for Excellence — the University’s most prestigious honor for non-faculty employees.

Other nominees included:

EHRA Nominee

Lindsay Smith | Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

SHRA Nominees

Brenda Asbury | Dean’s Office

Sherry Bailey | Nuclear Engineering

Elizabeth Baker | Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Jan Brock | Electrical and Computer Engineering

Linda Honeycutt | Computer Science

Brittane’ Jarrell | Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

Hulgize Kassa | FREEDM Systems Center

Garret Nelson | Electrical and Computer Engineering