Department Awards
We’re proud of the work our employees do every single day, but we especially love celebrating those who go above and beyond as true Volunteers. Department awards give us an opportunity to recognize those who go the extra mile, from monthly incentives to annual honors.
Employee of the month
All of our Employee of the Month recipients can be found on the Facilities Services Facebook Page.
You can submit your nomination for employee of the month by using the online form or downloadable PDF.
Exceptional Team Award
The department presents the Exceptional Team Award to a Facilities Services team whose performance has exceeded expectations and demonstrated an exceptional commitment to achieving the University’s mission.
A team can consist of a particular subunit or unit, a portion of a subunit/unit, or a combination of employees from multiple subunits/units.
Anyone can nominate a Facilities Services Exceptional Team. You can submit your nomination for Exceptional Team by using the online form or downloadable PDF.
Chuck Thompson Awards
In honor of former Assistant Director of Facilities Services, Charles F. (Chuck) Thompson, his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Thompson, established an endowment with the University of Tennessee specifically designated for two annual cash-incentive awards for non-exempt employees of our department.
Every year, the university gives two awards: one to an individual from the skilled craft areas and another to someone from the clerical, services, and support areas. Each recipient must have at least 10 years of service with the university. In 2024, 27 people received nominations across a total of 50 nominations. The committee unanimously agrees that the winning individuals embody the very spirit of these awards.
Service/Clerical
The Service/Clerical winner of the 2024 Chuck Thompson Award is someone who works tirelessly to make sure the needs of campus staff, visitors, and students are always met in a timely manner. They provide quality service to all of campus – even when their workload seems insurmountable. In the face of a challenge, they demonstrate kindness and professionalism with everyone they encounter.
This honoree has dedicated much of their life to Facilities Services, and always does so with a smile and gentle spirit. Often juggling multiple tasks at one time, most of us are unsure how they manage to keep everything straight while maintaining exemplary customer service.
Many of our teams in Facilities Services would not be able to execute all the services we provide to campus without the hard work and dedication of this individual. Our winner is often the very first person from Facilities Services that customers contact with questions or concerns, and without fail, they are met by a friendly and knowledgeable person on the other side of the phone.
While our winner may not always have the answers, she does know who to call, and her follow-through makes all the difference. She is a voice of reassurance when issues arise as she works hard to maintain calm and demonstrate care.
She is a fantastic representation of Facilities Services and our commitment to serving the university, and we are lucky to have her.
Facilities Services is proud to present this 2024 Chuck Thompson Award to Ms. Ann Free, General Dispatch, Maintenance & Repair.
Crafts
The person chosen for the 2024 Chuck Thompson Award in Crafts is someone who goes above and beyond in their duties every day. This person often works long hours without complaint for the good of the university and the customers we serve. He takes on extra duties without complaint, and he is available when needed.
A mentor and friend to the men on crew, he is a beacon of encouragement for many of our team members -even those who don’t have the distinct pleasure of working with him daily. He holds his teammates in highest regard and has great respect for those he’s honored to work alongside. This team member has a smile that can improve even the toughest of tasks, and his kindness reminds you why what we do in Facilities Services matters.
He is a walking example of what it means to live out the Core Values of Facilities Services through quality service, teamwork, accountability, reliability, continuous improvement, and commitment in all he does. He is loyal to UT and to Facilities Services, and he is always sharing ideas to improve upon utilities systems.
The honoree has been through a lot, both professionally and personally, and he has taken it all in stride. He’s been nominated for this award several times, and it is an honor and a privilege to present this award to him today. A true Volunteer, through and through, he is a crucial part of the heartbeat of this campus, and we are better because he’s on our team.
Congratulations to the 2024 Chuck Thompson Award winner for Crafts: Mr. Steve Bodenheimer, Electrical Services, Utilities Services.
OUR CORE VALUES
Facilities Services operates under six core values that guide our day-to-day activities as we work to support the campus community through prioritization of quality service,
instillation of teamwork values, accountability for our work and actions, continuous improvement, dedicated stewardship of resources, and reliable follow through.
We recognize and support the collaboration, research, and innovation that occur on our campus. We commit to supporting the university with integrity and transparency every day.
It Takes a Volunteer
More than 600 individuals make up Facilities Services, working tirelessly to keep the campus running 365 days a year.”