Ethel Woodberry, 2004 President's Quality Service Award Winner

Those who supported Ethel Woodberry for this award consistently pointed to two things – her performance and her smile.

Many within the College of Business say the building has never looked better than it has in the year since she became the building’s custodian. David Curry, professor of marketing who has been with the college for 14 years, says simply, "She makes us look good and feel good."

Judy Magazine, assistant director of the Lindner Honors-PLUS program, says that Woodberry is always willing to be both pro-active and flexible in helping to keep the building functioning smoothly. When a soap dispenser in one of the bathrooms was going to be out of service for several days awaiting repair, Woodberry devised a temporary fix that kept the soap flowing until the repair could be made.

With six floors to watch over, Woodberry manages it by being organized with a scheduled routine, "but if something has to be done at a moment’s notice, she will come to your aid," says Peggy Greene, a duplicating operator in the college.

"In my opinion, she has the greatest attitude in the world, in addition to being an outstanding worker," says C. Thomas Innis, associate professor of Quantitative Analysis. "She is always warm and friendly to everyone, even though faculty are the hardest people in the world to please."

"Ethel never complains about her work and always approaches her tasks in good humor," says David C. Burns, the Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting. "She always lends a sympathetic ear when people are troubled or are experiencing difficulty. Ethel is the finest housekeeping services employee we have had here in the College of Business during the 28 years I have served here as a faculty member."