Staff Awards
Recognizing the extraordinary contributions and service of Fisher’s staff community.
Fisher staff awards are distributed each spring at the faculty and staff Recognition Luncheon, where the Fisher community also celebrates milestone work anniversaries, student-nominated undergraduate instructors and college committee chairs.
Awards
- The Coykendale Rising Star Award - named in honor of Cindy Coykendale, who provided more than 35 years of dedicated service to the college - is presented to a staff member with fewer than five years of Fisher service, while the Coykendale Service Excellence Award is reserved for a staff member with five or more years of Fisher service. Award winners demonstrate commitment and contribution to one or more of the core values of the college: integrity, empathy, diversity, inclusivity, social responsibility and creativity. In addition, winners provide consistent and excellent job performance, promote a positive and motivating work environment, and provide outstanding service to all.
- The Fisher Community Champion Award honors a staff member with a minimum of five years of dedicated service at Fisher. This distinguished individual transcends their formal job responsibilities to cultivate a collegial and welcoming atmosphere for all members of the Fisher community. The award recipient embodies the belief that a community embracing everyone fosters a robust and unified culture.
- The winner of the Fisher Culture Champion Award is a staff member who serves as an unsung hero, working to support colleagues, often without fanfare or recognition. A culture champion exemplifies servant leadership, making a positive impact on all those around them.
- Culture and community are inextricably linked at Fisher. Fisher employees take active roles in shaping the mission, purposes and values that guide as an institution of higher learning. The Fisher Values Awards recognizes staff members who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to Fisher’s core values. There is one award given for each core value listed in Fisher’s strategic plan. Specifically, staff members who go above and beyond in their roles to incorporate the college’s values found below:
- Lead with integrity. Fisher educates and creates principled leaders and are committed to creating community where our actions and behaviors are consistent, honest and transparent.
- Practice empathy. We treat everyone with dignity and strive in our interactions to understand other points of view.
- Embrace perspectives. We welcome and respect individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and ideas.
- Build a community for all. We share the responsibility of creating a collegial and collaborative community in which every member feels supported, valued, respected and encouraged to fully participate. This award will be given to a staff member with less than five years of service at the college to offset the Fisher Community Champion Award.
- Promote social responsibility. We stay informed of issues that impact our local and global communities and endeavor to serve in relevant ways to address them.
- Pursue excellence and nurturing creativity. We set the highest standards and aim to do our very best by resolving to stay curious and seek out innovation and lifelong learning.
Past award winners
2026
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: Robyn Scholl
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Haleigh De Palma
Fisher Culture Champion: Brian Oilar
Fisher Community Champion: Kay Smith
Fisher Values Award — Integrity: Jessica Hall-Ciccone
Fisher Values Award — Empathy: Asiah Stewart
Fisher Values Award — Embrace Perspectives: Emily Salopeck
Fisher Values Award — Community: Jackie Pittman
Fisher Values Award — Social Responsibility: Jerrod Amstutz
Fisher Values Award — Creativity: Dustin Stinson
Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs 2025-2026
Fisher Staff Advisory Committee
Nicole Adams
Thomas Shuman
Randy Spears
Buckeye Wellness Innovators
Christiana Cordiano
Beth Miller
Dylan Williams
2025
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: Jill O'Neill
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Ben Chapman
Fisher Culture Champion: Annie Platten
Fisher Inclusive Excellence Champion: Lorraine Pennyman
Fisher Values Award — Integrity: Hannah Bushman
Fisher Values Award — Empathy: Vicki Christian
Fisher Values Award — Inclusion: Juleanna Smith
Fisher Values Award — Community: Jacquez Printup
Fisher Values Award — Social Responsibility: Angela Less
Fisher Values Award — Creativity: Ariel Murphy
Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs 2024-2025
Fisher Culture Council
Kathy Wantuch
Annie Platten
Fisher Staff Advisory Committee
Randy Spears
Dustin Stinson
Buckeye Wellness Innovators
Beth Miller
Jonee Winnick
2024
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: Teresa Hoying
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Nicole Allender
Fisher Culture Champion: Jana Lithgow
Fisher Diversity Champion: Samantha Hodik
Fisher Innovator of the Year: Anna Morris
Fisher Values Award — Integrity: Kristi Kent
Fisher Values Award — Empathy: Fatuma Muhamed
Fisher Values Award — Diversity: Jerrod Amstutz
Fisher Values Award — Community: Joanne Weber
Fisher Values Award — Social Responsibility: Joe Arnold
Fisher Values Award — Creativity: Patti Hambley
Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs 2023-2024
Fisher Culture Council
Jamie Mathews-Mead
Mike Knemeyer
Kathy Wantuch
Annie Platten
Fisher Staff Advisory Committee
Samantha Hodik
Dominic DiCamillo
Sara Hartman
Randy Spears
Buckeye Wellness Innovators
Beth Miller
Jonee Winnick
2023
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: David Harrison
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Lauren Faherty
Fisher Culture Champion: Sara Hartman
Fisher Diversity Champion: Keira Williams
Fisher Innovator of the Year: Andrea Evans
Fisher Values Award — Integrity: Robyn Scholl
Fisher Values Award — Empathy: Audrey Bledsoe
Fisher Values Award — Diversity: Marlena Harper
Fisher Values Award — Community: Matt Waitkus
Fisher Values Award — Social Responsibility: Laurie Spadaro
Fisher Values Award — Creativity: Nancy Gilbertsen
2022
The updated recognition program for staff was launched in 2022, with the awards distribution taking place in spring of 2023.
2021
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: Patti Flinn, Office of the Dean
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Dominic DiCamillo, Office of Global Business
Fisher Diversity Champion: Jill O’Neill, Undergraduate Programs
Fisher Culture Champion: Kelly Reo, Center for Operational Excellence
Fisher Innovator of the Year: John Rensink, Bright Initiative
COVID Heroes:
- Paul Carter, Facilities
- Lauren Faherty, Graduate Programs Office
- Patti Hambley, IT
- Steve Moore, Facilities
- Anna Morris, Marketing & Communications
2020
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: Jamie Mathews-Mead, Career Management
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Christian Lampasso, Center for Innovation Strategies
Fisher Diversity Champion: Mouris Danial, Undergraduate Programs & Advising
Fisher Culture Champion: Lorraine Pennyman, Undergraduate Programs & Advising
Fisher Innovator of the Year: Lauren Kume, Career Management
COVID Heroes:
- Andy Penfield, Facilities and Classroom technology
- Randy Spears, Information Technology Services
- Jill O’Neill, Undergraduate Programs & Advising
- Andrea Evans, Undergraduate Programs & Advising
- Keira Williams. Office of Global Business
2019
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: Ed Ward, Fisher Shared Services
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Kay Smith, Leadership Initiative
Fisher Diversity Champion: Sarah Steenrod, Career Management
Fisher Culture Champion: Cameron Watkins, Facilities and Classroom Technology
Fisher Innovator of the Year: Andy Penfield, Facilities and Classroom technology
2018
Coykendale Service Excellence Award: Randy Spears, Information Technology Services
Coykendale Rising Star Award: Sarah Duerr, Graduate Programs Office
For more information about Fisher College of Business staff awards, email Melanie DiFeo.