Outstanding Alumni & Faculty Awards Introductions

JUDITH ROGALA—James F. Zimmerman Award

When Judith Rogala says her greatest achievement is the development of people who are today's leaders, we know she's not whistling Dixie. We know that because 10 of her former employees who have gone on to leadership positions have made the trip to Albuquerque from around the nation to surprise her tonight.

But let me tell you a little about Judith before I tell you what they have to say about her.

Judith began her career with TWA, rising rapidly from flight attendant to senior management. She earned her bachelor's degree at Roosevelt University at age 35, and then commuted cross-country to earn her MBA at UNM. "When you focus on a goal you can either focus on the things that make it difficult," she says, "or you can focus on the goal." She was recruited by FedEx early in the company's history where she rose to senior vice president.

While at FedEx, Judith took a leadership role in the merger with Flying Tigers Cargo and was then recruited to become CEO of Flagship Express. During the last decade, she has specialized in turnarounds and startups, as executive vice president for Office Depot, president of ARAMARK, and as senior officer in several other corporations.

Now she presides over a leadership consulting company, The Catapult Factor. Executives she has worked with describe her as a person who "finds new solutions to old problems." She says it's all about "providing leadership that aligns values with business goals to bring about a culture that inspires people to perform."

Part of Judith's management philosophy is that whenever she hires people, she makes a commitment to their success. And she says she likes to create a secure work atmosphere where employees can test new ideas or changes.

So secure that one of her former employees, here tonight, relayed this story about his first week under Judith's direction:

"In comes Judith who asked if I had made the coffee yet. I informed her I didn't know where to make it and—since I don't drink coffee—I don't know how to make it. I received a strange look from her and was informed that the first one in the building always makes it, so I'd better learn and not be a sissy boy. Thinking to myself that this is no way to start things off, I asked if we were flying that day. She said no, why do you ask? I said, well you're wearing your old TWA outfit … Without missing a beat she said that was really funny, then asked if I'd gotten my shirt and tie out of a box of laundry soap, and if so, I should change brands. I knew it was going to be fun working with her…"

And so supportive, that another former employee here tonight relayed this:

"I first met Judith 25 years ago, when I was 7 months pregnant. She was vice president of the central region and I was a customer service agent (front-line employee) in the Appleton, Wisconsin office of Federal Express. For some reason, I had the opportunity to talk with her one-on-one for several minutes. Sometime during our conversation she looked at me –and please understand that I was big as a house and decked out in my best frilly maternity outfit—and urged me to consider getting into management at Federal Express….that our company was looking for leaders. I could not believe that someone could look past the (very large) obvious and see me so differently than I saw myself. That one moment—which I am sure she doesn't remember—changed my entire perspective about myself and the opportunities in front of me. It was the catalyst that launched me in a direction I never would have imagined possible."

All of us are very pleased, Judith, to extend to you our Zimmerman Award tonight. You are an example of a generosity in leadership that is indeed rare, and that has changed lives for the better. Congratulations.

WARREN BAKER—Bernard S. Rodey Award

Warren Baker leads a double life. In one life he is president of Cal Poly State University, a position he has held since 1979, making him one of the longest-tenured university presidents in the nation.

In the other life, Warren is (S)ecuring (A)merica's (L)eadership in (S)cience, (T)echnology, (E)ngineering, and (M)athematics. With William Swanson, chairman and CEO of Raytheon, Warren co-chairs the STEM initiative, which seeks the means to encourage and support science and math education in this country.

The one life dovetails well with the other. Cal Poly is one of the nation's leading undergraduate polytechnic institutions. It champions a "learn by doing" philosophy, pitting academic coursework alongside applied and professional applications. Its challenge is to keep students, faculty, and equipment up to date in an increasingly complex world of technology. In other words, there's no sitting around on your laurels—or you'll be out of date!

Those in his office say Warren comes in with a new agenda every year for them all—which, of course, keeps the work fresh and interesting. His colleagues attribute Warren's longevity to three things:

First, they say, he focuses upon the big picture: "He has a full and balanced grasp of the forest and the trees. While he understands in detail the workings of the university and the system, he keeps us focused on the large strategic issues with high impact that will make the most difference."

Second—in a world full of talkers, Warren is a good listener. He is genuinely interested in students and faculty, and sees his role as supporting and facilitating their work. Of course, being a good listener must help with the political demands on a university president as well!

And third, Warren has a great talent for distilling and summarizing things in clear and meaningful ways. The thought he puts behind his ideas and suggestions is evident.

These are the same qualities that serve STEM well. And ultimately they serve us well, because all of us hope to restore our country's leadership position in science, technology, and innovation. STEM has a comprehensive agenda, and has just begun work in its first project area—proposing the means to address the national shortage of highly qualified elementary and secondary school mathematics and science teachers.

With a BS and MS in civil engineering from Notre Dame, and a PhD in geotechnical engineering from UNM, Warren knows of what he speaks! His awards and appointments are many. One in particular stands out. In 1985, President Reagan appointed Warren to the National Science Board, the governing body of the National Science Foundation. It is a huge honor, one that Warren held for nine years.

Lest you think Warren's left brain completely outpowers his right… Warren is known for the strong value he places upon the humanities in higher education, and in the development of ethical and wise leaders for our nation.

Warren, we know the importance of your endeavors as well as the immensity of your challenge. You are a man whose knowledge, experience, and style command attention and respect. We trust our state and national policy-makers will heed your advice, and we stand ready to assist you if we can. Tonight we offer you not only our Bernard S. Rodey Award but our gratitude as well.

JIM HINTON—Erna S. Fergusson Award

Perhaps staring at not just one, but two, volcanos over 17,000 feet tall—one of which is smoking!—gives a person a sense of perspective about himself. Perhaps climbing those mountains—step by step to their snow-covered peaks—gives that person an appreciation for the many small parts that make up the whole. And perhaps looking out from the tops of those two mountains gives that person a sense of the big picture.

Jim Hinton, his brother, his brother-in-law, Joyce Godwin, and Joyce's husband climbed Mexico's Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl in November 1987. Jim had just been promoted from director of business development for a Presbyterian Healthcare Services subsidiary to executive director of Presbyterian Physicians Resources. Eight years later he would be appointed president and CEO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services, New Mexico's largest private, not-for-profit healthcare organization.

Somehow, he's kept his move to the top in perspective. So much so, in fact, that his leadership is now characterized by his approachability, his desire to hear his employees' thoughts and ideas.

And that starts with their new employee orientation, which Jim attends in person every Monday. There are 8,000 employees in the Presbyterian system. He gives them all his email address and home phone number.

About those employees… Jim hires excellent people, lets them do their job, then gives them credit, says Joyce Godwin who has worked alongside Jim in the "old days" and now serves on the PHS board of directors. "No way would he say he's the successful one," Joyce adds. "It's the team. He's strong both at putting the team together and at being a team player."

Jim still claims that his wife, Carol, who excelled at her own career at Presbyterian Health Plan, is the smart one. The two met at Arizona State while pursuing their master's degrees in health administration. By the way, it was Jim's supervisor at UNM Hospital where Jim worked as a student who swayed him from pursuing a career in law and suggested one in healthcare.

Asking for employee suggestions implies a willingness to make changes. "Even if it's already excellent, Joyce says, Jim wants whatever he's leading to be better, and he looks at what kind of changes will accomplish that."

After a $35 million drop in operations in 1999, Presbyterian came back with a business plan that turned the tables in a year's time.

About that plan, Managed Healthcare Executive wrote, "Although the new business plan helped steer Presbyterian to its impressive turnaround, the engine that drove the process was a corporate and executive mission to its own employees and the well-being of the community."

Jim thinks of himself as part of a community, not just the Presbyterian community, but the Albuquerque and New Mexico community, and he urges the same sort of commitment to quality from all. "We're capable of excellence," he says. And he sees education as key.

Jim has served on or led the boards of Albuquerque Economic Development, Albuquerque Economic Forum, United Way of Central New Mexico, New Mexico First, Acción New Mexico, and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. He chaired the Governor's task force for Health Care Reform, and served on the Insure New Mexico Council.

Mountain climbing apparently inspired Jim and his fellow hikers in more ways than we've discussed. It inspired them to great heights in limericks. At 5,000 feet, I'll try my own:

To a healthcare exec, Jim Hinton,
Whose good deeds we can see without squintin'
—You've climbed many mounts
But you remember who counts—
We award you our Edna S Fergusson.

And we do that, Jim, with much pride and appreciation.

LESLIE DONOVAN—Faculty Teaching Award

I've never met Leslie Donovan and I want to be her student. I'm ready to sign up for a seminar on Tolkien, to contribute to UNM's literary magazine, to write a blog about Middle Earth using computer's named after Lord of the Rings characters, and to sit in Leslie's office, talking about life in general and getting advice about my own in particular.

Professor Donovan teaches in the Honors Program. But "teaching" in the narrow way we've come to use the word doesn't begin to cover what Leslie does.

Nor does imbuing enthusiasm. Or inspiring confidence. Or even caring. Or listening.

Because these are just parts of what Leslie does, that, when combined, redefine the place, the importance, and the need of good teaching in students' lives.

Leslie doesn't just connect with her students, she connects with each of her students. Listen to this description of Leslie by one:

"Professor Donovan is a good teacher because she has the ability to give you everything you need to accomplish things on your own. She keeps close tab on her students, watching them individually. She gains a sense of their personality and adjusts one on one. Take for example, a quiet student—she tries to communicate in ways they'll feel comfortable with. She's in tune with her students. She reads their personalities and appreciates them."

University Honors Program director Rosalie Otero says that—although it may be hard to believe now—Leslie was once a shy student herself, who realized in graduate school that she must speak up to succeed. Rosalie says Leslie decided at that point that one of her missions in life would be to help shy students to come out of their shells, to learn to communicate.

No matter the student, says a recent honors grad, "when you aren't performing to your full potential, Professor Donovan doesn't yell at you or even lay on the guilt. All she has to do is look at you… in that way she does… and then you know what you've done… or haven't done."

Leslie received her BA in creative writing and her master's in English from UNM, followed by her PhD in English from the University of Washington. She has taught in the University Honors Program since 1995—courses ranging from Celtic culture to magazine production.

Leslie has co-taught with honors students and directed dissertations, masters and senior theses, and independent study projects.

Leslie has been the faculty advisor to Scribendi; the chair of the UNM student publications board, the advisor to the freshman honorary society (Phi Eta Sigma), the faculty advisor to the UNM Hobbit Society; and a Regents Scholars Mentor.

"She fills a room so completely that her energy is larger than her physical space"—says one student, who also reveals Leslie's affinity for Chick Filet. "She has a secret love of those little nuggets!"

If only that were the source of Leslie's well of creativity and concern, talent, and temperament. We would all have to buy Chick Filet nuggets, as well as stock!

But since Leslie remains unique, we can only admire her choices and gifts, be grateful that she shares them with UNM students, and give her tonight our Alumni Association Faculty Teaching Award.