UPMC Above and Beyond Awarded to Robert

August 30, 2012

"To promote excellence, we have created the Above and Beyond program to recognize staff members who go the extra mile."

Robert invited us to the Above and Beyond Awards Program held at Passavant Hospital where he received the the 2012 award.

A slide show was going when we arrived. Robert with his boss, Sharon Evon.

Robert with Sharon and the President of UPMC, Dave Martin.

We entered the Assemble Hall to find employees waiting for the festivities to begin.

After a few moments a man waved everyone towards the food tables. The food looked divine.This is the peanut and mandarin orange chicken.

We joined the line.

Grilled veggies, fetta cheese and sausage.

Crab cakes

Mango cheese cake

Sweet punch

The caramel cheese cake was heavenly.

The Awardee!

At our table was a former awardee, and Barb who works with Robert.

LeeAnn Cerimele started things off with a story about why she was late: She had been in the parking lot and saw a woman with her car hood up. She asked if she could help. The lady looked at her like how can a woman in a suit help me, but she proceeded to tell her that her car was over heating and she couldn't get the cap off to add water. Ms Cerimele tried to take the cap off, but couldn't so flagged down a bus driver who couldn't and then went and got a man in overalls who did get the cap off and helped the woman on her way. Helping above and beyond is what the award is for so it fit right in. She then called up Robert. She congratulated him for receiving the May award and presented him with a certificate and a glass dome with stars inside.

Sharon, Robert's boss, then came up and told why he was getting this award: He had heard a family talking about being at the wrong hospital for their appointment. The woman at the desk was trying to give them directions across the hills and valleys of Pittsburgh. Robert offered to show them the back way to the hospital and helped them find not only the right hospital, but the correct desk for their appointment.

Robert added that he loves working for UPMC. He would have loved to have thanked his boss, Sharon, because without a great boss we would not be in a position to receive the great awards we do.