On March 10, 2016, Steve Paskoff announced ELI’s Implementation and Delivery Program Manager, Paula Garlen, as the recipient of the third annual George H. Kaye Award. Since re-joining ELI® in 2013, Paula’s main focus has been the delivery of ELI’s learning solutions, which entails a variety of responsibilities. One of her primary goals is to make sure that anyone who facilitates an ELI program has the tools to be successful. Her job also entails ongoing collaboration with team members to come up with ideas for expanding delivery methods to reach our widely dispersed participants.
In her role, Paula manages the agenda for the ELI certification process, works with ELI’s own facilitators and Certified Instructor Community™, and assists in the planning and coordinating of large training implementations. Over the past year, however, she has gone above and beyond her original call of duty to work on the development of ELI’s Learning Portal and Virtual Instructor-Led Training platform. Paula is known for her willingness to take on additional responsibilities while ensuring her current responsibilities are in line with ELI’s strategic objectives. Paula exemplifies the Kaye award as her dedication, creativity, and innovation are key attributes to her success. Paula’s name will be added to the George H. Kaye award plaque prominently displayed in the ELI Learning Center.
Our congratulations go to Paula Garlen as George Kaye’s legacy of strong character and professionalism continue!
“I am honored to announce this year’s 2016 winner of the George H. Kaye award is Paula Garlen. The Kaye award goes to the ELI team member who, in the prior year, best demonstrated George’s qualities reflected in ELI’s values of teamwork, accountability, honesty and inclusiveness. In 2015, Paula accomplished a wide range of projects involving facilitator management, developing our portal, managing events and content for our Certified Instructor Community, coordinating certification and logistic events, adapting content and certifications for specific client and instructional needs, among many other responsibilities. She demonstrated an ability to manage a wide array of disparate responsibilities with excellence and professionalism. Paula is, and has always been, available to help and willing to take on responsibility to work with everyone as a collaborative, responsible team member and committed colleague. She has an infectious love of learning which also enthuses those around her to do their best work. Her performance in 2015 serves as a living example of the workplace traits and behaviors the George H. Kaye award was created to honor.” – Steve Paskoff, President and CEO
John H. Stafford award for Operational Excellence
On March 10, 2016, Steve Paskoff also recognized, Amy Gardner, ELI’s Creative Design & Production Manager, with the second annual John H. Stafford award for Operational Excellence. Amy, who will be celebrating 14 years at ELI this year, is widely known for her wealth of institutional knowledge. Because of this, she is often asked by colleagues to help come up with creative solutions. Amy is a gifted graphic designer and is often asked to use her creativity to take words and turn them into visuals. Often pulled in multiple directions because of her many talents, Amy somehow manages to stay calm and level-headed. This grace–under-pressure characteristic has no doubt earned her a wealth of respect by her colleagues.
Among her many talents, Amy adapts well to change and enjoys learning new design technology. In 2015, her accomplishments included, but are not limited to, managing the massive project of intellectual property review during the change to a new printer for ELI; designing the cover and interior pages of Steve’s new book, Civility Rules!; creating new portal content and design, and creating several new graphics and products for key clients. Amy’s name will be added to a plaque prominently displayed in the ELI Learning Center.
Our congratulations go to Amy Gardner for consistently being a high performer and doing whatever it takes, and truly exceeding expectations to get the job done with the least amount of fanfare – just like John.
“I am honored to announce Amy Gardner is the 2016 winner of the John Stafford award for operational excellence in line with ELI’s values for her accomplishments in 2015. Amy embodies John’s great qualities of integrity, intelligence, precision and teamwork. Amy’s winning of this honor is especially significant in light of the outstanding creative and project management talents she brings to her job which include overseeing the graphic design of ELI’s materials. In the past year, Amy handled a key part of the conversion of our printed products to a new printer. Her work required tenacity, and attention to detail and timeliness. She accomplished this significant, nearly overwhelming, project while continuing to design and manage multiple other projects with excellence. Overall, Amy performed her work unselfishly and inclusively. She collaborated with and helped others using good humor and a high level of personal accountability in full alignment with our values which has marked her tenure at ELI.” – Steve Paskoff, President and CEO
About the George H. Kaye Award:
ELI established the George H. Kaye Award honoring the ELI team member who, over the past year, best demonstrated ELI’s values of inclusion, integrity, client service, and overall team contribution.
As Vice President of Human Resources at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, George Kaye engaged ELI on its first assignment. Over the past 27 years, George became a dear friend to ELI’s President and CEO, Steve Paskoff and the Paskoff family. He was also a mentor to ELI leaders, a colleague, and a trusted advisor. George was honest, fair, candid, funny, loyal, inclusive, kind, humble, and courageous. He had an unflinching commitment to his values, his family, and his friends. George passed away on February 14, 2014. At ELI, we will keep his legacy alive in our daily work and through this award.
About the John H. Stafford Award:
Former ELI Chief Operating Officer, John H. Stafford, passed away unexpectedly on May 11, 2013. John was a seasoned business executive known in the computer consulting and technology business for his level head and calm nature. He was considered a trusted leader by his colleagues and loved by family and friends. John loved his alma mater, Notre Dame, and worked with fellow alums in Pittsburgh to raise money for scholarships so others might experience Notre Dame. He is remembered by a scholarship that bears his name. John was smart, direct, candid, honest, inclusive, and cared about people. He spearheaded several technological innovations at ELI to improve our business systems. He had integrity and was devoted to his wife, four children, and seven grandchildren. ELI established the John H. Stafford Award to honor a long-tenured team member who demonstrated operational excellence, as John always did.
