OIT announces 2022 Awards for Excellence winners

The Office of Information Technology recognized three outstanding employees who are unwavering in their devotion to efficiency and innovation, customer service and duty during its 2022 Awards for Excellence program.

The University Awards for Excellence is the most prestigious honor bestowed upon non-faculty employees and recognizes their outstanding contributions in Customer Service, Efficiency and Innovation, Human Relations, Outstanding State Government Service, Public Service, Safety and Heroism, and the Spirit of North Carolina. 

The OIT Awards for Excellence program “acknowledges the hard work, brilliance and innovation of team members, providing a testament to how much we value their efforts and how they strive to help the NC State community,” said Marc I. Hoit, chief information officer and vice chancellor for information technology.

“Letting a person know how much you respect their work and how important they are to you and the community is the most meaningful credit you can bestow upon a peer,” he said. 

OIT presented awards to two SHRA employees and one OIT non-faculty EHRA employee during its virtual ceremony on March 30. 

SHRA Awards

Brandon Bouché of Outreach, Communications and Consulting and Elizabeth Cole-Walker of Security and Compliance received the award for SHRA employees.

• Nominated in the category Efficiency and Innovation, Bouché, a broadcast and emerging media engineering specialist, used his technical knowledge to make sure the broadcast of high-profile events — such as graduation ceremonies, NC State Board of Trustee meetings, executive searches, and sporting events — went smoothly. Beyond addressing pandemic-related challenges, Bouché brought innovation to the complicated broadcast and video production world on a shoestring budget by developing a control room and broadcast studio that significantly advanced and enhanced the quality of campus live video streams and video production. 
• Nominated in the category Customer Service, Cole-Walker, an IT security specialist, has a true passion for cybersecurity and is a campus champion for making these complex topics relatable to customers. Customer service demands continuous improvement and Cole-Walker takes each assignment, project or request as an opportunity to both learn and improve OIT Security and Compliance services. These customer-centric actions build trust in Security and Compliance programs, which enable campus customers to feel more comfortable and confident in their decision-making. 

EHRA Award 

Adria Snead, an IT security professional in Security and Compliance, received the award for EHRA employees.

Nominated in the category Outstanding State Government Service, Snead’s unselfish devotion to duty — far and above the normal approach — positioned NC State to be a place to go for national security and other controlled research. During the summer of 2021, Snead worked many long nights and weekends to help ensure the successful completion of the university’s Secure University Research Environment (SURE) compliance project with reporting to the Department of Defense. Snead continues to work with stakeholders across higher education to share NC State’s lessons learned and success stories, while also listening to other institutions’ needs to prepare NC State for the road ahead. 

This year’s award recipients received a plaque, $250 and eight hours of paid leave. They also will vie for the University Award for Excellence on Wednesday, June 8 at 2 p.m. in the James B. Hunt Jr. Library Auditorium. A reception will follow the event in the Duke Energy Hall.