UTSA Team Spirit Award winner Minnie Martinez
receives notice of her award from University Police
Chief George Powers.
UTSA Team Spirit Award goes to Minnie Martinez
(October 19, 2001)--Minnie Martinez, UTSA administrative secretary for University Police, will be honored with the Team Spirit Award, one of five awards that will be presented next week at the UTSA Staff Excellence Awards ceremony. The presentation will be made at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 23 in the University Center Laurel Room on the 1604 Campus. The Team Spirit Award recognizes those whose positive and productive interactions with fellow employees exemplify the spirit of collaboration.
The 2001 UTSA Staff Excellence Awards recognize staff members for their service and outstanding accomplishments. The winners were chosen from 88 nominations submitted by UTSA faculty, staff and students. The ceremony will include other staff recognition, 5-30 year service pin recipients, festive food and door prizes (T-shirts and tickets to SeaWorld). All UTSA staff are invited to attend the event. At the ceremony, President Ricardo Romo will present to each of the five Staff Excellence winners an award of $1,000 and a commemorative plaque.
The following profile is third in a series of five spotlighting the winners of the UTSA Staff Excellence Awards.
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Profile:
MINNIE MARTINEZ
Colleagues describe Minnie K. Martinez' organizational skills as the "9th wonder of the world." In his nomination of her for the Team Spirit Award, Captain Doug Sonego says her uncanny ability to take a complete mess and turn it into a file in which anyone could find the document they need is remarkable--an ability that is appreciated both inside and outside of the department.
As a secretary in the university police criminal investigations unit for
the past two years, she compiles monthly reports that must be submitted to
various law enforcement agencies, including the Texas Department of Public
Safety, FBI and UT System Police. She completes each accurately and on time.
She has also processed more than 1,000 personnel safety and security checks
for the university this year alone.
But if her organizational skills are the ninth wonder, her willingness to
assist others is surely the 10th.
During the past year, she has helped to clear a backlog of parking citations for the parking office. She helped to enter vehicle registration information into the database, ensuring that members of the Tri-Campus community received their permits promptly. She also identified alternate methods for processing the information to reduce the time spent on these tasks. At the request of Chief George Powers, Martinez also assisted in access control, which processes key requests for the Tri-Campuses.
When the police department is short on civilian personnel, she steps up to fill the void, driving shuttles for special functions during weekend and evening hours and working the entrance gate and parking lots at events such as Shrimpfest. She also helps to organize, record and balance monthly gas receipts for the university police fleet.
Martinez began at UTSA in March 1997 as a secretary for the Educational Talent Search Program and credits former supervisor Rita Cortez with supporting her in her quest to grow professionally and to try out new ideas in the workplace. Prior to joining the university, Martinez had retired from the U.S. Air Force, where she was a security policewoman.
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