In two and a half decades of working in Audio Visual Services at Brock University, Phil Nardangeli has become an expert at solving the mystery of what he calls OPP – other people’s problems.

Nardangeli was honoured along with 20 others for hitting the 25-year service mark at Brock during the President’s Annual Holiday Celebration on Monday afternoon.

Phil Nardangeli, supervisor, Audio-Visual Services; receives a 25-year service award from Interim President Tom Traves.

Judging by the loud cheers from the packed crowd at Pond Inlet when his name was called, Nardangeli’s expertise hasn’t gone unappreciated.

“It’s always something going wrong here or there, but I enjoy working with the clients,” said Nardangeli, who was hired to work in the mailroom but moved to AVS just over a year later.

The Thorold native said technology has completely changed since he started.

“We’re miles away from where we were,” he said. “There weren’t even computers around when I started.

“In my work, it’s never the same two years in a row. If you don’t like change, you wouldn’t like my job, but I thrive in it. It keeps it interesting.”

Also being recognized for hitting the 25-year mark were: professors David Butz, Maureen Connolly, June Corman, Carolyn Hafer, Mei Ling Huang, Raafat Roubi, Elizabeth Sauer, Ravindra Singh, Francine McCarthy and Vera Woloshyn; assistant professor Edward Sternin; Dan Katolinsky and Vera Terpak from Mail Services; Jeanette Davis from Brock International Services; Lee Ann Smith from Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre; Sergio Gigliotti and Laurie White from Custodial and Ground Services; Wanda Fast from Human Resources; Luaine Hathaway from Environmental Sustainability Research Centre; and Heather Nyland from Collections Services.

There were also seven people honoured for completing 35 years of service at the University. They include: associate professors Wlodzimierz Wojcik and Juris Dreifelds; Shelley Martin from the Campus Store; Barbara Lemieux from Application Development; professors John Mitterer and Linda Rose-Krasnor; and Joe Kenny from Brock Sports.

President’s Distinguished Staff Service Awards

Nominated by their peers, the Distinguish Service awards are handed annually to permanent staff who have provided outstanding contributions to the working environment at Brock.

This year’s winners were:

• Steve Anderson, Central Receiving and Mail Services
• Linda DiRaddo, Department of Psychology
• Shari Sekel, International Market Development
• Jim Boekestyn, Application Development

Human Resources Distinguished Service Award for Leadership

• Sheila Smith, Faculty of Social Sciences