News and Views
July 2007
Volume 12 Issue 3
T he 2007 Legislative Session adjourned Sine Die on
June 20, 2007. The 164 day session was the fifth longest since
statehood. Adjournment came just one day after the Legislature
forwarded the 2008 budget to the Governor, which was signed
into law on June 25, 2007.
The fiscal year 2008 budget contains a 3% pay raise for
state employees, plus an additional 0.25% performance increase
in addition to the 3% increase. A 0.5% employee retirement in-crease
will take effect at the same time as the salary increase,
resulting in a net pay increase of approximately 2.75% for state
employees assuming performance standards are met. For a
more accurate estimate of the increase in your take-home pay,
go to www.hr.state.az.us and click on “performance pay” then
click “estimator” and enter your salary information.
Other key budget enactments affecting ADOA this ses-sion
include a funding increase for the Human Resources Divi-sion
which will enable them to fill key vacancies and continue
to effectively manage statewide personnel issues. The General
Accounting Office received $370,000 in funding to reduce turn-over.
We also received funding to enhance both physical and
electronic security. A total of $960,000 was appropriated for
Capitol Mall security systems and the Information Services Di-vision
received $300,000 for electronic security.
Legislation was also enacted enabling Capitol Police to
move forward with the Reserve Officer Program and the over-time
calculation for Capitol Police Officers is now consistent
with calculation methods of other state law enforcement entities.
Overall, the 2007 Legislative Session was very favorable
to ADOA. We still have key needs within the agency and will
continue to work with the Legislature in 2008 to ensure that
these needs are met.
Legislative Wrap-up
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 2
A newsletter for employees
of the Arizona Department
of Administration created
by employees. We wel-come
your comments and
suggestions.
ADOA
100 N. 15th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 542-1500
Janet Napolitano
Governor
William Bell
Director
Contributing Staff:
Debby Dominguez
Editor
Anne Eick
GSD
Candee Samora
Risk Mgmt.
Toni Towne
MSD
Jan Hart
SPO
Susan Lehr
Design
Scott Zalaznik
HRD
Jan Sharon-Strieby
GAO
Connie Wheeler
MSD
Bret Boettcher
CAP PD
Dot Roberson
TPO
D’Andrea Spann
AZGU
Harry Wickramasekera
ISD
Howard Richardson
ISD
Scott Geiger
SPO
News & Views
Available in alternative
formats. Contact:
Debby Dominguez
at (602) 542-0062
Director
William Bell I n this months issue of the News
and Views we have a wrap-up of
the legislative session and the bills and
budget that passed for our agency. You also
get an update on the new security measures we have instituted at
our building.
A new tuition reimbursement policy takes effect July 1st, which will
be beneficial to those of you wishing to continue your college edu-cation.
We will have it posted on our webpage soon; in the mean-time,
if you have questions regarding the new policy, please speak
to your manager.
Soon we will implement our space management plan. Some have
already begun to move, others will do so in the coming months and
other areas will not change at all. GSD has worked with your man-agers
to determine the best use of our space in this building. When
you are doing a remodeling project at home or work, it does cause
some inconveniences and disruptions, we appreciate your patience
during these moves.
My office is busy scheduling the next round of Director’s meetings
with staff. I look forward to meeting with you and hearing your
comments and concerns.
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 3
May, June and July
Milestones
Five years
HRD BJ Gottesman
CP Nicole Akenman
GSD Tony Palmisano, Arvis Harvey
ISD Matt DeClue, Penelope Meyers
DO Angela Fischer
FSD Jennifer Reed
Ten years
GSD Michael King
ISD Jonathan Claxton
HRD Esther Davis
MSD Angela Dean
FSD Julie Lilleberg
CP Maria Berrelez
AzGU Charles Spencer
Fifteen years
HRD Bryce Boldt, Greg Carmichael
GSD Lynne Smith
Twenty years
MSD Allan Boone, Steven Perica,
Ronald Pietrzyk
GSD Eddie Fernandez
Twenty-five years
CP Robert Gerome
Thirty years
GSD Steve Myers, Candelario
Sausedo
MSD Wendy Hammon
Thirty Five years
GAO Ken Smart
ADOA’s Cause for Applause instant recognition program allows you to recognize fel-low
employees on-the-spot for doing a job beyond expectations. The program minimizes
procedures and maximizes immediate feedback. Cause for Applause certificates are
available through your division coordinator or electronic copies are available on your
local area network.
ADOA has other programs too. Take A Bow acknowledges employees who retire from
State service; Encore recognizes employees who celebrate a milestone anniversary be-ginning
at their 5th year, then every 5 years thereafter. Divisions also hold celebrations
to recognize Employee and Team of the Quarter recipients.
Every Tuesday Toastmasters Meeting
at noon in room 400A
August
13th Benefits Open Enrollment Begins
September
3rd Labor Day - Office Closed
10th Benefits Open Enrollment
Ends
22nd State Job Fair at the State
Fair Grounds
Mark Your Calendar
A September 5, 1916 Labor
Day Parade in Detroit
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 4
We would like to take this opportunity to
thank all of the volunteers, who made
this event possible. Becky Watson
(ISD), Bret Boettcher (CP) and son
Jacob, Mannie Ramirez (AzGU), Eliza-beth
Diaz (MSD), Jan Sharon-Strieby
(GAO) and husband Kelly, Julie Cruz
(RM), Paula Baldovino (ISD), Ralph
Rodriguez (Printshop), Candee Samora
(RM), Anita Kleinman (GAO), Annie Eick
(GSD), Tiffany Franks (GAO) and son
Michael, Lubia Quijada (AzGU), Heather
Keller (ACCCHS), and Ruth Stieger-
Gentle (HR).
On Saturday, April 21st bright and
early in the morning, 61 golfers, many
volunteers, and one coyote showed up
at Arizona Traditions Golf Course for
the annual ERC ADOA Golf Tourna-ment.
Volunteers registered the golf-ers
and sent them out to the course.
The tournament was won by the team
consisting of Scott Smith, Alan
Ecker, Reed Spangler, and Randy
Pongratz. There were many raffled
prizes and a silent auction which
included sports memorabilia, dinners
and hotel accommodations. Lunch
was served to the golfers and vol-unteers
and each person received
a “goody” bag. A good time was
had by all.
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 5
“YES” ADDS NEW PERSONAL FUNCTIONS
Beginning in July, the State of Arizona’s employee web site, Your Employee Services (YES) will add 3 exciting
new information update options: Change your home address, revise your federal tax withholding, and update
your emergency contact information. Look for an announcement e-mail and posters as soon as these func-tions
are ready to use.
Your Employee Services (YES) provides secured access to over 60 items de-signed
to make your work life easier. Among the many options, you can view your
current and past paychecks, modify your health benefits during open enrollment,
change your deferred compensation deductions, check out potential day care ser-vices,
find a promotional opportunity, check road conditions before leaving for the
daily commute, find the location of the cheapest gas, and much, much, more.
YES helps you save time and paperwork. All at one web site, with one password. Simply logon to
www.yes.az.gov and see for yourself.
ADOA SPACE MOVES
You will begin to see some changes around 100 N. 15th
Avenue as GSD Building and Planning Services (BPS)
begins implementation of a long-term project to more
efficiently organize our building space. Under the guid-ance
of the Director’s Office, GSD is coordinating
closely with division Assistant Directors and other
staff to maximize the efficient and effective use of our
space. After detailed discussion and extensive consulta-tion
with each division, the approved plan incorporates the most efficient use of space, as well as accommodating the
division needs for flexibility, workstation changes, changes in division responsibilities and department initiatives.
Some changes to office space have already begun. The implementation of moves and remodeling will take place over
the four months from May to September 2007. To give you the overall picture of the upcoming changes, these are the
major moves planned:
• ISD will consolidate its operations in this building into a single work area and create additional workspaces for
staff. ISD will also gain additional space at 1510 W. Adams.
• TPO and Accenture will consolidate fragmented work areas and expand with additional workstations to create a
more effective work environment.
• AzGU staff will relocate to the third floor to accommodate an increased need for workstations and product devel-opment
areas.
• GAO will more efficiently utilize its existing space allocation by consolidating GAO and Auditor General staff
into its main suite.
• HR has recently renovated its space on the second floor to create a more secure
work environment. In September, HR will open the doors of the new Career
Center on the first floor.
• Benefits will physically reorganize their space to expand and create a more
functional work flow that facilitates confidentiality of Benefits information and
eliminates fragmented work areas.
We are making every effort to ensure minimal disruptions to your daily work rou-tine.
We will do weekend moves whenever possible, and you will receive specific
instructions and guidance on how to prepare for upcoming moves. GSD appreciates
your patience and cooperation through this transition.
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 6
The employees at the Arizona Department of Administration work everyday to achieve their mission:
“to provide effective and efficient support services to enable government agencies, state employees and
the public to achieve their goals.” Two recent incidents at the ADOA building, 100 N. 15th Avenue
have prompted our Leadership Team to evaluate and upgrade security measures around and within the
ADOA building. To accomplish the task, Commander Andrew Staubitz with the Arizona State Capitol
Police Department, Tim Summers with GSD Physical Security, Gwen Lopez with Risk Management,
Mark Stromgren with Opus, and Bruce Christianson with Risk Management worked together to evalu-ate
the security of the ADOA Building and make recommendations.
One of the incidents happened on February 13, 2007 at approximately 10:00am in the morning, when
two employees reported their purses stolen from their work stations. A police investigation conducted
by Officer Edward Swan with the Capitol Police Department revealed a suspect who was later identi-fied
as Rodney Sheppard. It was determined that Sheppard entered the building through an unsecured
delivery door and walked freely to the 4th floor where he stole the unsecured property. Sheppard subse-quently
located and arrested. He was booked on one count of theft, and one count of possession of sto-len
property.
The second incident occurred on April 23, 2007 at approximately 8:42am when two ADOA employees
standing outside 100 N. 15th Avenue were approached by a suspect later identified as Clifford Pickett.
Pickett proceeded to ramble to the employees, causing them to be concerned for their safety. The em-ployees
instructed the suspect to leave the area. Pickett then picked up a cement ashtray and threw it on
the ground breaking it. He then walked over to the victims and began threatening physical harm.
Pickett then walked away, and one of the victims noticed a railroad spike in his rear pocket. Officers
arrived within a few minutes of the call and began looking for the suspect but were unable to locate
him. Sergeant Robert Gerome and Sergeant Hollis Corey recognized the description of the suspect and
located him a few days later (still carrying a railroad spike). A photo line-up was used and the victims
identified Pickett as the suspect. He was booked into County Jail for one count of Threatening and In-timidating,
and one count of Criminal Damage.
The inspection team utilized their expertise and experience to develop recommendations for security
upgrades that will enhance safety and help prevent crime. As a result, the Department has implemented
many upgrades to the surveillance cameras along with the addition of cameras to the parking garage,
and elevators. These cameras are recorded 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and play a crucial role in the
security of the building. The team also recommended additional lighting and the Department is in the
process of contracting for these lights on the East side of the building and by the front doors. A Police
Assistant has also been placed in the lobby for added security and has direct radio contact with police
officers on the street. A security post is in the works for the near future. It was recommended that the
loading dock/delivery door be locked and have a camera installed, along with an inter-com system and
that a protocol on receiving deliveries be developed. This task has already been completed.
Other recommendations include trimming the shrubs to a three and one half foot height around the
building and re-evaluating the designated smoking areas.
Another important aspect of security for the ADOA building lies in the hands of the employees, because
crime prevention is everybody’s responsibility. Here are some things that every employee should do to
help create a safe and secure environment:
Report suspicious activities to the Police
If you are a victim…file a Police Report
Always wear your ID badge
Report suspicious packages
Be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts. If you feel a situation or person is a
threat, back off and call the police.
If security equipment appears to be broken or malfunctioning, report it to your supervisor
immediately.
Remember, Crime Prevention needs your attention! If you have any questions or comments please call
the Arizona State Capitol Police at (602)542-0362.
ADOA Building Gets Security Upgrade
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 7
Cause for Applause Recipients
Fourth Quarter
April
May
June
AzGU Cap Police GAO HR ISD GSD
Lubia Quijada Bret Boettcher Cody Johnson Jessica Chapman Marilyn Timmerman Anne Eick
Mannie Ramirez (2) Vahn Vo Linda Rose (2) Paula Baldovino Timonthy Hurst
Anita Kleinman Karen Dillinger Becky Watson Jobalena Yates
Jan Sharon-Strieby Ruth Stieger-Gentle Tim Witherspoon Robert Borrula
Tiffany Franks Wendy Walther (2)
Brisa Daniel (2)
Gana LaPaglia
Leslie Biava
Lisa Hagelman
Lorinda Frost
Phyllis Sonier
Becky Coffey
MSD Risk
Maggie Lam (2) Candee Samora
Melody Nettestad Julie Cruse
Cherylanne Ciarav-ino
Kareem Parker
Tim Christiansen Rebecca McKey
Debi Sawyer Renee Kobak
Tyrone Sneed Judy Ludwig
Elizabeth Diaz Ed Walsh
Ralph Rodriguez Gail Maternowski
Mayra Rivera
Irma Mendoza
Penny King
GAO HR ISD GSD MSD Risk
Regina Soberano Colette Sanstamoinen Josh Wagner Richard Wester Cherylanne Ciaravino (2) Kareen Parker (2)
Tammy Burt Michelle Ashley Buck Forst Dora Brafford Valerie Ruelas (2)
Diane Gorham Penny King (2) Joyce Wright Regina Soberano
Kim Harper-Syra Michael Burrell Janet Valdez
Daniel Marquez Sharon Buckley
Robert Gandara Beverly Adelman
Danielle Thompson Rebecca McVey
Go Ortiz Arlita Campbell
Derek Vigil Jeremy Clark
John Corbett Don Subach
Debbie Oland Elaine Signore
Annette Fettig Jon Vella
Cindy Tomko Betty Lopez
Melody Nettestad Charles Brandt
John Derrick West Candee Samora
Randy Frost
SPO Arlitta Campbell
Elmer Garcia
GAO HR ISD GSD MSD SPO
Greg Carlson Evelyn Garcia Anthony Martinez Deanna Rope Tim Christiansen Tamara Mitchell
Kjell Anderson Dawn Miyabara
David Kinser Valerie O'Neal
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 8
The HRIS team is developing an exciting extension to Hiring
Gateway called Onboard Arizona. Onboard Arizona picks up
where Hiring Gateway leaves off by automating the hire
process from the time an applicant has been identified as a
preferred candidate until that candidate becomes an employee. Key components of Onboard
Arizona include:
• Online creation of a job offer
• Electronic routing of the job offer for agency approval
• A special new web site for the prospective employee to review and validate employment
information
• Partially pre-filled new-hire forms
• Automatic transfer of new hire information into HRIS
• Availability of an EIN on the employee’s first day of work
On board Arizona will reduce the time and cost to hire a new employee and improve the pro-fessionalism
and quality of that employee’s initial days with us. Look for deployment of On-board
Arizona later this year.
With so much advice on health care in magazines, on television, and
online, it is sometimes hard to know what to believe. To help you
separate fact from fiction, the Wellness Unit of the Benefit Services
Division is offering you access to the Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth
Web Portal at www.bewellstaywell.az.gov. The EmbodyHealth
portal is filled with practical health tools, reliable information and
online programs prepared by experts at Mayo Clinic, one of the most
trusted names in health care.
The EmbodyHealth Web Portal offers five online Health Manage-ment
Programs: Fitness for EveryBody, Healthy Pregnancy Pro-gram,
Healthy Weight Program, My Smoke-free Future, and My
Stress Solution. When you enroll in any of these
programs you will get a personalized plan to help
you meet your objectives.
For example, if you are committed to making
changes in your health habits such as eating
healthier and adding more activity, then the
Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Program is the tool
for you. The program will help you set weekly
goals, track your progress and send you tailored
feedback giving you strategies for success. You
can use interactive resources to customize meals
and help you select activities specific to your
needs.
To join the Healthy Weight Program or any of the other online
Health Management Programs, simply go to
www.bewellstaywell.az.gov . Look under My Tools – Taking Ac-tion
and get started today. On your first visit to the website, make
AZNet Telecommunications Technician and Firefighter
Shaun Hilton, AZNet Voice Maintenance Field Technician, working for the AZNet subcontractor, Black Box, was at the right place at
the right time!
On April 12, Shaun was at an Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) – Tucson site re-sponding
to a call to make a repair. At the same time, ADOT electricians were on site working
on ADOT’s back-up generator. When the electricians switched back to commercial power,
three separate fires broke out in the switch room.
Shaun was in the switch room and grabbed a fire extinguisher and quickly put out the fires!
The fire department was called to the site and determined the fire was caused by a faulty wiring
hook-up.
It was fortunate Shaun was on site. His quick reaction and courage saved the PBX (voice switch) from the
fire…saving ADOT approximately $150,000 in replacement cost, time, inconvenience and hassle. THANKS
Shaun for saving the day!
Be Well Stay Well –
Your Health Matters
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 9
Arriizona Goverrnmentt Uniiverrssiitty Debuttss Web Confferrenciing
Is your work team scattered geographically? Are you trying to get your team members on the same page when they do not work
in the same location? Is the combination of skyrocketing gas prices and travel for meetings and training wreaking havoc with your
budget?
Arizona Government University (AzGU) has found an answer to meeting all of these challenges – iLinc, a web conferencing
interface. Translated, this means that a learner in Winslow can “join” a class in Phoenix, enjoying all of the benefits of the class-room
interaction while avoiding the expense, the environmental damage and the productivity losses associated with travel.
Recently Arizona Government University (AzGU) staff member Pat Dunbar facilitated a training session in a Phoenix classroom
for Level III STARS (State Training and Registration System) users. Joining the class via iLinc was Manuel, a Level III STARS
user based in Yuma who also telecommutes one day a week. Manuel was able to see everything the classroom learners did, to ask
questions and to participate in discussions. iLinc allows for an interactive learning experience from a distance. The learner needs
only a computer with speakers to participate.
The addition of iLinc now allows AzGU to use five different delivery channels that vary by degrees of learner independence.
The following table lists and briefly describes the five delivery channels and identifies sample AzGU course offerings associated
with the delivery channel.
As the table shows, many of AzGU courses are offered via multiple delivery channels reflecting AzGU’s commitment to bring-ing
learning to the learner.
More learning opportunities will be available via iLinc as a result of AzGU’s commitment to offer at least 8 hours per month via
iLinc throughout Fiscal Year 2008
If you would like additional information regarding iLinc, contact Joellyn Pollock, AzGU Director, at 771.2949 or at jpol-lock@
azgu.gov.
Delivery Channel Description AzGU Course Offerings
Classroom This is the traditional instructor-led
delivery method.
- Supervisor Academy
- Advanced Supervisor Certificate
Program
- Preventing Workplace Harass-ment
- Welcome to State Service
Computer labs Participants work at their own
pace.
An instructor is available to answer
questions, provide assistance.
- Microsoft Office products
- Arizona Financial Information
System (AFIS) modules
iLinc (web conferencing) Synchronous
The same learning is provided in a
classroom and in a remote loca-tion(
s) at the same time.
- STARS Level III User training
Computer-based training (CBT) Asynchronous
Participants complete courses on
their computers.
- Standards of Conduct
- Preventing Workplace Harass-ment
- Basic Office Safety
Self-directed learning modules Participants download study manu-als
and complete courses independ-ently
at their own pace.
- Microsoft Office (22 modules)
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 10
The Arizona Department of Administration is releasing a 30-
second cable television commercial and public transit adver-tising
campaign to promote the official employment web site
for the state of Arizona. Governor Janet Napolitano is fea-tured
in the thirty second commercial informing viewers of the
website and its value for Arizona job seekers. The Governor
explains to viewers, “We’re streamlining the process of find-ing
a job with the state of Arizona. Simply click on azstate-jobs.
gov. No more navigating multiple state department web
sites to find the right opportunity. Plus, you can even register
to automatically receive notification of future job openings.
Azstatejobs.gov… making Arizona a greater state of opportu-nities.”
The website is: azstate-jobs.
gov. The public transit
message is a prominent
display of the azstate-jobs.
gov logo and web site address. These advertisements
are geared towards enhancing the visibility of the website in
promotion of the streamlined employment application proc-ess.
The media schedule is slated to begin the week of June
25 for 1-month. The thirty second commercial will air on Cox
Media and the public transit advertisements will be displayed
throughout Metropolitan Phoenix area. To learn more about
employment opportunities with Arizona state government,
please visit the website at: www.azstatejobs.gov.
ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION
PROMOTES AZSTATEJOBS.GOV WEBSITE
On May 15th, General Services Division em-ployees
gathered and recognized the Divi-sion’s
star players of the quarter and the ac-complishments
of the team as a whole with a
little ‘south of the border’ flair at La Canasta
Capitolia. A total of 107 employees enjoyed
their choice of Carne Asada, Chorizo,
Machaca, Spanish omelettes, pancakes, steak,
eggs, and of course bacon. Employee
of the Quarter honors went to
Mike Rank of Construc-tion
Services with nominations and honorable
mentions also going to Maria Ramirez, Valerie
O’Neal, William Teyla, and Ignacio Daniel.
Milestone Awards were presented to Maria
Ramirez 5 years, Richard Ostrom 10 years,
and Henry Sausedo 30 years. Congratulations
go out to these employees and a big thank you
for all of their dedicated work. The ER Com-mittee
is planning an ice cream social for the
next quarter’s recognition event.
GSD Quarterly Employee Recognition Event
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 11
Yes, You Can Go Home Again!
Working behind the scenes, the state switchboard operators silently and efficiently serve the State of Arizona, state
agencies, employees and the public at large.
We have all had contact with the switchboard operators at one time or another. They are always there when we
need them – setting up conference calls for state agencies, connecting traveling
state employees to their office at home, answering a variety of questions and pro-viding
information and directions. The switchboard operators, Karen, Gina, Elea-nor,
Marie and Cindy, provide the telephone/switchboard services we use on a
daily basis. No matter what the situation, they are always pleasant and profes-sional
directing calls and answering questions with a smile in their voice.
Initially the switchboard was part of ADOA’s Information Technology Services
Division (ISD). When the Telecommunications Program Office (TPO) was
formed, the switchboard joined the TPO.
To provide more efficient services to all of the State of Arizona and ADOA’s cus-tomers,
the switchboard will be going home – to ISD. The switchboard will join
the ADOA/AZNet Support Services Help Desk team. This move involved reloca-tion
to ISD’s new state-of-the-art Command Center. The switchboard operators
have become part of the dynamic team that provides 1st tier technical support for both ADOA IT and AZNet cus-tomers.
The Support Desk receives and processes a variety of e-mails, calls, and faxes; and now supports the state
switchboard.
Yes, you can go home again!
Jaya Jeanette Hickman
Born April 4, 2007
7 lbs. 10 oz.
To: Jamie Epstein (GAO) & Jeff Hickman
(Arizona State Retirement System)
Skyler Michael Creighten
Born March 5, 2007
To Bethany Garland (Risk) and
Bryce Creighten
Mia Garcia
Born August 13, 2006
To Terry Garcia (Risk)
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 12
Giving Back ………..
Betty Lopez, an employee with Risk Management, not only spends her time working for ADOA
but is giving back to the community on behalf of ADOA.
The City of Phoenix recently presented Risk Management with the COMFORT award. The main
function of the Comfort Program is to provide a respite for parents of homeless families while
their children are engaged in a variety of activities with caring volunteers.
Betty and her team consisting of Kim Williams, Deidra Boyd and Susan Fajardo, all employees
of Risk Management, have donated countless hours helping to organize, recruit volunteers, re-trieve
donations and touch hearts.
Ann Wheat, Recreation Supervisor with the City of Phoenix sent her sincere appreciation for Risk
Management’s dedication to the COMFORT Program. Thank you for giving your time and the
individual attention these children so dearly need.
The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
has been awarded to State of Arizona by the Government Finance Officers
Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its FY05 comprehen-sive
annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the
highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and finan-cial
reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a
government and its management.
An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the
individuals, department or agency designated by the government as primarily
responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR. This has been presented
to the Arizona Department of Administration General Accounting Office.
The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high
standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full
disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential
users and user groups to read the CAFR.
The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approxi-mately
16,000 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, IL,
and Washington, D.C.
You can view the CAFR on the General Accounting Office (GAO) web-site
at http://www.gao.state.az.us/.
The GAO Receives the Certificate of Achievement
for Excellence in Financial Reporting
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 13
AZ You Like It Toastmasters
Every Tuesday at noon until 1:00p.m.
100 N. 15th Ave. 4th floor in Conference Room 400A
Contact Mel Brender at mbrender@azdor.gov for more information.
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 14
Profiling Employees within ADOA
Tracey Cappuccio, GAO’s Statewide Payroll Manager
The General Accounting Office (GAO) is delighted to present Tracey Cappuccio
as its Featured New Supervisor. Tracey began with the State in May of 2004 with
the GAO’s Central Payroll Office as a Statewide Accountant II reconciling the
State’s payroll. She was promoted to a Statewide Accountant III in October of
2005 working as the Customer Support Supervisor. In October of 2006, she was
promoted to the Statewide Payroll Manager. Tracey enjoys working in the GAO.
In her opinion, “The camaraderie in the GAO between co-workers is what I like
best. Working in Central Payroll, we all have a close working relationship and a
sense of family. But what I really like best about Central Payroll is the birthday
potlucks we have for each employee to celebrate their special day.”
Tracey was raised in New Jersey and graduated from Roxbury High School. She
moved to Arizona in 1999 to attend ASU. She graduated from ASU in May 2003
with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. She worked for Brooks and Associ-ates
accounting firm for a year before joining State government.
Tracey married her high school sweetheart Vic in June of 2003. Vic works for
Midway Nissan Infinity in the collision department. Tracey and Vic have a fabu-lous
little boy named Vinny who will be two years old in August. Vinny is Tracey’s
life away from work. She enjoys watching and listening to Vinny exploring and
learning new things. Tracey and Vinny love to play in the water. Vinny is con-stantly
on the move and keeps Tracey on her toes. Tracey’s mother and sister
now live in Arizona. Tracey enjoys having her mother and sister living nearby.
The GAO is very proud to have Tracey as part of its family!
Please welcome Susan Laurence as the new Recruitment Manager. Susan has over 15 years ex-perience
in Human Resources Management, most recently as a Senior HR Generalist at Discover
Financial Services. Susan is a native Arizonan having grown up in Bis-bee.
She worked at the Phoenix Zoo to pay for college and she gradu-ated
from Ottawa University with a Bachelor's Degree in Human Re-sources
Management. To complement her education and career,
Susan received her Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR)
certification in May 2006.
Susan is excited about her new role as the Recruiting Manager and
loves her job. She is busy planning the upcoming State Job Fair in
September, working on executive recruitment, and is excited about all
the possibilities a Career Center has to offer! Her goal is to assist
Staffing and Recruitment hire top talent while promoting The State of
Arizona as an employer of choice!
Susan has been successful in raising two sons, both of which reside
and work in Phoenix. Susan is a NASCAR enthusiast and plans her
vacations around racing! When she isn't cheering on Tony Stewart,
she enjoys politics, reading and working out!!
MEET SUSAN LAURENCE
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 15
Profiling Employees in ADOA
Meet Michelle Ashley
Michelle Ashley joined the Employee Relations Unit on March 19, 2007. Mi-chelle
brings with her extensive Employee Relations experience in the public,
private, and private non-profit sectors. She began her ER career with U-Haul’s
Employee Relations Department. Michelle handled all the discrimination
charges and investigations for the entire organization. Later, Michelle moved
into recruiting at American Express. For the past eight (8) years, she served as
the Director of Human Resources for Jewish Family and Children’s Service, a
local behavioral and social services non-profit organization. Michelle graduated
from ASU with a BS in Business Management and graduated from the Univer-sity
of Phoenix with an MBA and also has her Senior Professional Human Re-sources
(SPHR) certification. Michelle is thrilled to be part of such a wonderful,
helpful and supportive group of employees in the ADOA Human Resources De-partment.
When Michelle was asked why she came to work for the State she replied, “the behavioral health industry was
volatile with funding sources and regulations changing frequently. She decided it was time to stop the madness
and the 60-hour workweeks and find a job in a more stable, structured environment. Michelle had worked at
ADOT 19 years ago and has always wanted to return to State service. So, when she saw the ad in the paper
for the Employee Relations position she happily applied”.
Michelle is married and has an 11-year-old daughter and a 9 month old son. Michelle spends as much time as
possible up on the Navajo reservation, eating fry bread and herding and caring for the family sheep. She loves
to camp, explore, and enjoy the culture of the beautiful region. Michelle also loves to scrap book, bake, do all
sorts of sports, and just hang out with the family.
Say Hello to Chris Ann Guinta
Chris began her career in state service with ADOA in 1998. She worked for the Capitol
Switchboard as an operator directing calls throughout the state of Arizona. Chris then pro-moted
to the Department of Revenue as a receptionist for the Individual Audits Unit, she
moved up the ladder to the accounting unit and finally became a License and Compliance
Officer for the last three years. We are proud to say Chris has made it back home to ADOA
with Risk Management in the Accounting Unit as a Fiscal Specialist. Welcome home Chris.
Chris graduated from SOU (Southern Oregon University) with a Bachelor’s degree in Busi-ness
Administration. Some day she would like to go back to school to finish Spanish and
become involved in helping with literacy programs. Her hobbies are reading, hiking and
spending time with her two dogs Shakira and Jetlee.
It is great to have Chris as a part of our division.
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 16
Get to Know Michael Kallaur
The General Accounting Office (GAO) is thrilled to present Michael Kallaur. Michael
grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and moved to Phoenix while he was still in high
school. He graduated from Central High School in Phoenix. One of his favorite classes in
high school was accounting because he has always been good with numbers. He at-tended
ASU and graduated Cum Laude in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Michael received his license as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 2004.
Michael met his wife Karen while working at the Industrial Com-mission.
They were married in 2000. Karen currently works for
the Arizona State Land Department in the Forest Fire Division’s
Fiscal Services Accounting section. Michael has four stepchil-dren;
Britney, Heather, Amanda, and David along with four step-grandchildren.
One of the most challenging things Michael has
done was to raise his stepchildren through their teenage years. Michael shares his home with
two Persian cats named Sparkles and Storm. Storm lives up to his name by storming around
the house rambunctiously. Michael enjoys going to the movies, playing chess, fantasy football,
collecting Star Wars memorabilia, and traveling. He has traveled to Paris, Rome, Ireland, Ha-waii,
and the Bahamas. He says that going to Europe has been one of the highlights of his life.
Since he is afraid of heights, he really got a kick out of being at the top of the Eifel Tower and
bending over backwards on the top edge of Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone.
Michael launched his career with the State in 1993 when he started working at the Industrial
Commission processing workers compensation claims. Since he has always enjoyed working
with numbers, he quickly moved into the accounting section. He transferred to the Department
of Administration in 1999 and worked in Management Services Division for a year. He joined
the GAO’s Financial Reporting Group (GAAP) in May of 2000. He briefly left State service in
2006 for four months to work with the City of Phoenix and decided he missed working with the Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report (CAFR) and Certificates of Participations (COPs), so he returned to the GAO GAAP Group. The GAO
is happy to have Michael back with us, as he is a valuable asset to the GAAP Group.
Spectacular People Operating (SPO)
SPO aka State Procurement Office is staffed with some very spectacular peo-ple.
This issue we are featuring the new Community Outreach Program Man-ager,
John Red Horse. He was appointed to this position with the approval of
the Governor’s Office on June 4, 2007. John was already employed by SPO as
a Senior Procurement Specialist since May of 2005. Prior to coming to SPO,
he earned a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from ASU and
worked as a golf professional at two different courses in the Valley.
As the Community Outreach Program Manager, John will be busy educating
members of Arizona’s Small, Women and Minority owned business commu-nity
about the opportunities and the value of contracting with the state to pro-vide
goods and services. John enjoys networking and has experience himself
operating a small business while working as a golf professional. Currently, procurements for
$5,000 to under $50,000 require 3 quotations and that at least one of those quotes is from a
small, women or minority owned business. John’s objective for his new position is to see
more small businesses competing on larger contracts.
Profiling Employees in ADOA
the real
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 17
Meet Jan Plank
Jan Plank joined the Human Resources Employee Relations team on April 9,
2007. She brings with her extensive HR experience in both the public and pri-vate
sectors. She was an HR Manager for Citigroup, the world's largest banking
organization, for seven years, and an HR Analyst for both the City of Glendale
and Yavapai College in Prescott. Jan is certified in the Myers-Briggs personality
preference profile and in numerous change management, conflict resolution and
organizational leadership programs. Jan enjoys the public sector due to the thor-oughness
and best practices that are executed within the HR function. Jan said,
"I am thrilled to be back in Arizona and feel very blessed to be working with
such a high quality team here in Employee Relations."
Jan, originally from Wisconsin, moved to the Valley to attend undergraduate
school. After spending several years in Colorado, her son recently completed
school and came back to Tucson, which opened the door for Jan to return to Ari-zona,
which she has always called home.
Jan is married with two sons, ages 14 and 18 and is interested in natural health and enjoys vegetarian cooking,
swimming and walking. Every Saturday she participates in a water ministry with her church where she pre-pares
food and passes out sack lunches to the homeless under the 7th Avenue Bridge not far from the Capitol.
Over the years, she has been a volunteer speaker for organizations like the Phoenix Urban League, Phoenix
College and Alternatives to Violence.
Profiling Employees in ADOA
Meet Daniel Layman…
Daniel Layman is the new ADOA/MSD LAN Administrator. Dan was born in Virginia and raised in Colorado. Dan comes from a long
line of family that has been in the military. He has done his part in serving our great country in the United States Marine Corps for 5 years.
Dan has two brothers and one sister with both brothers having served in the military; one is an Air
Force Academy graduate, the other enlisted in the Army where he has been to Iraq twice to take in the
desert air. While in the Marine Corps his job was in the electronic intelligence field where he pro-gressed
to become one of the Senior Systems Administrator for his entire Air Wing. While in the
Marines, Dan was deployed all over the world to wonderful places such as Japan, Italy, Bosnia and
Macedonia. He moved to the Valley of the Sun in 2001. He attended the University of Phoenix,
where he received his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Information Technology.
Dan has been employed with ADOA since 2002. He started as Desktop Support Technician for Inter-nal
Technology Services Division. He has since worked with ISD, BTS and HRIS in the respective
technology areas. He is a certified MCSA, Network+ and A+. In January 2003 he was the Employee
of the Quarter, has received the Directors Recognition Award twice, once in March of 2004 and again
in February 2005. Also, he received the Director’s Excellence Award in February 2005.
Dan and his wife, Amy have been happily married for 11 years and have two beautiful daughters,
Elizabeth who is 11 and Victoria who is 6. Their hobbies as a family are swimming, hiking and being
with extended family.
What does the future hold for Dan? Well, he looks forward to obtaining his Masters in Public Ad-ministration,
and making the ADOA LAN the best in state government.
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 18
Profiling Employees in ADOA
The Telecommunications Program Office Welcomes Two Newcomers!
The Telecommunications Program Office (TPO) is responsible for managing
the Telecommunications Service Provider, Accenture. This includes managing
the Arizona Network (AZNet) contract, overseeing the transition and conver-gence
of projects and developing and maintaining the telecommunications
technical architecture and roadmap, and managing the state’s telecommunica-tions
assets or physical inventory. TPO’s mission is to assure that the State of
Arizona has a cost effective and efficient consolidated, shared telecommunica-tions
infrastructure to meet the needs of government agencies, their employees
and the public.
One of the components of the TPO’s responsibility
is to manage the state’s telecommunications assets
and this is no small task. It requires the expertise
of a seasoned financial auditor….meet Nancy
Johnson, TPO’s Audit Administrator.
Nancy joined the TPO on May 21. She has a
wealth of financial/auditing knowledge with over fifteen years of experience.
Plus, she is not new to the state and has worked for the Arizona Departments of
Education, Financial Institutions, Environmental Quality, Transportation, Revenue
and Economic Security. Nancy’s financial and state background are essential in-gredients
to ensure that the TPO manages the state’s telecommunications assets
effectively and efficiently.
Nancy has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Arizona and
is a Certified Internal Auditor. Nancy lives in Glendale, enjoys walking – especially with her eight-year-old
beagle, Ranger, and she is an avid reader, particularly history.
Another component of the TPO’s responsibility is project management – a balancing act – coordinating the
activities of a team of people to ensure the timely, successful completion of projects and keeping them within
budget….meet Larry O’Neill, TPO’s Project Manager.
Larry joined the TPO on June 4. He has been in the telecommunications field for over 20 years and involved
with the installation of many different telephone systems. He has also been a part of the AZNet program work-ing
for the sub-contractor, Calence. So Larry sees project management from two angles…which is definitely a
PLUS!
Larry has a Bachelor’s degree in Management/Marketing from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri and
an Associate degree in Liberal Arts from Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, California. Larry enjoys travel-ing
– particularly internationally. He has traveled to Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland,
Japan, Mexico and Canada. His favorite spot is Italy…Venice made a huge impression on him. Larry has
been to Italy twice and would definitely go again.
The TPO team welcomes Nancy and Larry!
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 19
Profiling Employees in ADOA
Try Your Hand at Tribond
In Tribond, a popular board game, puzzles come in threes and players try to find a common
attribute. For example, what does a butterfly collector; a tennis player and a lunch lady have
in common? The answer: they all use nets.
Now for an ADOA tribond question: what does a passion for learning; a love of mountain
biking and enthusiasm for challenges have in common? The answer is: Joellyn Pollock, the
Director of Arizona Government University (AzGU).
Joellyn is a long way from her native Bangor, Maine – and she’s come a long way, earning
both academic and professional success. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a mas-ter’s
degree in teaching and a doctorate in educational technology. Professionally, she has
worked in a variety of environments including manufacturing, health services, retailing and
financial services.
After a lengthy career in the private sector, Joellyn’s attraction to state government in gen-eral
and to AzGU specifically can be explained by her passions. State government presented
a challenge – a new environment in which to learn and to which she could contribute. As the AzGU Director, Joellyn is able to use her talents
to facilitate learning and process improvements, two of her passions.
Since assuming the Director position in July 2004, Joellyn has shepherded AzGU’s significant progress toward becoming the learning partner
of choice by state agencies. Fiscal year 2006 was devoted to standardizing curriculum, resulting in relevant courses of consistently high qual-ity.
Fiscal year 2007 has been devoted to innovating, primarily through leveraging technology. AzGU has converted 40 hours of its highest
demand courses to computer-based training (CBT). Available 24 hours a day, CBT is the most cost effective medium for learning and affords
the greatest flexibility for incorporating training into the daily work demands of employees.
The coming year promises to be another challenging one for AzGU as it:
• expands its partnerships with the community colleges and Arizona State University. Within weeks, AzGU’s Supervisor Academy will
be accredited, providing participants the opportunity to earn three college credits for Academy completion.
• collaborates to support agency and Governor initiatives. For example, during the past year, AzGU designed and facilitated the kickoff
and the training for the Governor’s Plain Talk initiative.
• converts additional courses into alterative delivery formats to increase the availability of training to all state employees
• spearheads the release of an updated learning management system.
“Training is one part of the solution to so many workplace challenges,” Joellyn points out. “We are here to connect learning to everyday work
challenges.” She hopes all ADOA employees see AzGU as their learning connection.
Despite the demands of AzGU, Joellyn finds time most weekends to indulge her passion for mountain biking. Her most recent travel adven-ture
included hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge in southern China.
Information Services Division’s Customer Relationship Manager. Her
friends know her as Mercy.
Her background is in Sales and Marketing, recently working as a Business Development
Manager, developing strategic marketing plans.
Mercy was born in the Bay area in Northern California. She grew up in Albuquerque and
attended New Mexico State University. She accredits her business acumen and creativ-ity
to several positions she held, ranging from an Artwork Specialist for a pharmaceutical
company to Customer Relations Manager for the Wireless Industry. She is relatively new
to the City of Phoenix having resided here for the past four years.
She is looking forward to the challenges associated with working in an IT environment
and the exciting opportunity to promote ISD, its IT capabilities and Strategic Plans.
Her interests include gardening, reading books and marketing the team of professionals
that provide the technical support service for ADOA and other state agencies.
Meet Mercedes Leal-Dominguez...
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 20
VAHN VO IS GAO’S EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER
The General Accounting Office (GAO) is excited to feature Vahn Vo as its Employee of the Third Quarter
for FY 2007. Vahn was born in Vietnam and migrated with her family to Arizona in 1991. She graduated
from Sunnyslope High School. Vahn attained her Bachelor Degree
in Global Business in August of 2000 from ASU West. She is con-tinuing
her education by working on her Certificate of Accountancy.
Vahn married her husband James Tran in October 2004. James
works for Genworth Financial. They are both involved with activities
at their church. Vahn takes pleasure in playing the piano for her
church and teaching children’s classes. She enjoys hiking and cook-ing.
One of her favorite things to do is traveling around the United
States. She will be returning to Vietnam on June 18th for a three
week visit of her family. She is very excited to visit Vietnam again.
Vahn began her employment with the GAO as a Fiscal Service Spe-cialist
I in the Central Payroll Group in April of 2004. Since Vahn has
been employed with the GAO, she has shown outstanding customer
service and is very enjoyable to work with. Vahn’s nomination below
emphasizes how her peers feel about her and her work ethics:
“Vahn has been with the GAO for three years this April. During her
employment at the GAO she has demonstrated her abilities to learn
quickly, be accurate in her work, and be a team player who is always
willing to pitch in when needed to help others. However, over the
past quarter, Vahn has gone over and above in her performance.
During the last quarter, the Garnishment position became vacant. Vahn, in addition to her regular duties,
entered the majority of all of the garnishments while this position was vacant. Then, when a new employee
was hired, she assisted in training the new employee on entering the garnishments into the HRIS.
Also during the last quarter, a large volume of W-2 forms were returned in the mail because employees
had not changed their addresses. Vahn played a major role in organizing these returned forms and getting
them ready to be re-mailed. Additionally, she had to process numerous duplicate W-2 requests for em-ployees
who either lost their W-2 forms or did not receive them in the mail.
While dealing with these other issues, Vahn also began training another employee to be her back-up when
she is out on leave. This training takes a fair amount of time as there are many aspects and nuances
when it comes to reviewing and processing manual payments.
During all of this time Vahn maintained a positive attitude and was courteous to customers and co-workers.
She is able to remain calm and under control at all times and perform her duties in an exemplary manner
day in and day out. Because of her on-going level of performance and the way she was able to go above
and beyond during this last quarter, Vahn is well deserving of special recognition for a job well done.”
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 21
Human Resources—Team of the Quarter
On January 31, 2006, Governor Napolitano signed House Bill
2661 which provided a salary increase in two parts; a permanent
salary increase of $1,650, and the creation of Performance Pay
which is roughly 2.5% of our base salary. Another part of House
Bill 2661 requires all agencies to administer an employee survey.
If ADOA had taken no action, this past spring every agency would
have been developing their own surveys, sending them out to all
of their employees, and collecting data in any of a hundred differ-ent
ways. It would have been chaos!
With a little planning, however, this team strategized that it
would be possible to have all agencies use the same survey form.
We could leverage the use of our optical scanner and generate a
source of data that would be consistent across all agencies, and
also could be compared with historical information from prior
years when the Office of Excellence in Government administered
statewide surveys.
Though there were a lot of details involved, the bottom line is
that this team in HRD eliminated a huge amount of redundancy in
the agencies, streamlined the surveys and scanning to be very
cost-efficient, and generated a consistent and accurate source of
data that can be used by all agencies.
Standing: Don Bergeson, Kellie Beard, BJ Gottesman, Greg
Carmichael, Lorinda Frost, Tom Frost
Seated: Debi Shelton and Darcia Everett
Not pictured: Grisel Salas
Congratulations to Irene Baskerville, Employee of the Quarter for Risk Manage-ment.
Irene joined the Risk Management team in 1994 and works in the Workers’
Compensation Unit. She has brought a great deal of medical expertise to the unit
and to agency liaisons. Her expertise has brought consistency to this effort. Irene
also arranges ongoing training for the staff by bringing in medical personnel to
address specific questions or areas of interest the adjusters may have.
Over the years, Irene's position has evolved. Originally her focus was on disability
management, helping agencies develop modified duty positions for injured work-ers.
During the past several years, her duties have evolved into providing utiliza-tion
review that has helped the unit control medical costs and ensure quality
medical treatment.
In her down time Irene likes reading, working out in the gym and hiking. She
said “I like working at Risk Management I have wonderful co-workers, I feel that
I am valued and I have a flexible work schedule that allows me to periodically up-date
my professional skills.”
Risk Management’s Employee of the Quarter
Irene Baskerville
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 22
GAO’s Team of the Quarter -
GAO Spirit Committee
The General Accounting Office (GAO) is honored to have the GAO Spirit
Committee as its Team of the Third Quarter for FY 2007. This team
provides a valuable service to the GAO by promoting and maintaining
employee morale. The team normally does not receive recognition for
the amount of hard work they contribute related to many functions they
initiate and host. They provide special occasion cards and host the
monthly birthday celebration and farewell events. They also organize
fun activities and potlucks for the various holidays and Fiscal Year End
party. The members of this team are very dedicated and are tremen-dous
contributors to making the GAO a great place to work!
Left to Right: Lalita Stevenson, Kim Syra, Cody
Johnson, Tammy Burt, Amanda Bennett, and
Patricia Ferreira
Mike Rank is GSD’s Senior Project Manager in the Construction Services section. Mike has consistently excelled
in customer service and project management and for this reason received the GSD Employee of the Quarter
Award.
Mike always goes above and beyond the call of duty when his assistance is requested. Taking the appropriate time
to research items, he routinely provides accurate, detailed, and timely answers to questions and requests. It has
been noted that Mike takes the needs of other staff members seriously and always delivers on the commitments he
makes to ensure that they are able to deliver as well.
Mike’s many years of experience include over 35 years in the construction industry with education majors in archi-tecture
and construction management. The last twelve of those 35 years have been as Senior Project Manager for
ADOA, overseeing major projects including new prison complexes at ASPC Lewis
and ASPC Yuma. These projects had construction costs totaling approximately
$155M and were delivered 9 months ahead of schedule and under budget. His cur-rent
projects include:
• Structural investigations and repair of the Arizona Veterans Memorial
Coliseum roof and Paving & Sealcoating of Coliseum Parking Lots.
• Replacement of 400+ detention doors and hardware at the ASPC Tucson
Rincon Unit which is part of an ongoing statewide lock replacement pro-ject
for the Department of Corrections.
• Renovations and upgrades to the water and wastewater treatment plants at
ASPC Yuma Complex for the Department of Corrections.
• Replacement of all underground natural gas distribution piping at the
ASPC Perryville Complex.
• Third-party oversight and inspection of the new Arizona Game & Fish
Department’s Headquarters Complex under construction at the Ben Avery
Shooting Range.
When not working diligently on his assigned projects, Mike routinely serves as a
mentor to other project managers and helps to fill in the gaps during staff shortages.
Congratulations Mike for jobs well done!
GSD Employee of the Quarter, Mike Rank
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 23
Phyllis is a member of the Human Resources Staffing and Recruitment Unit. As an HR Analyst, Phyllis al-ways
ensures her customers are 100% satisfied. In the past quarter, she has recruited for 327 positions for 44
different agencies. Her customer survey cards average a 7.8 in overall satisfaction of the service she provides.
She receives positive comments such as:
• “Phyllis is always very helpful and responds quickly with anything I throw at her – thanks for the great
service”
• “She is easy to work with and is a great asset to the state and ADOA”
• “Try to clone her”
As a valuable member of the Staffing and Recruitment team, Phyllis never
hesitates to jump in and help where needed. She has been a member of the
HR Employee Recognition committee for several years and has partici-pated
in almost every fund raiser and helped set up for almost every event.
She volunteered to take on the task of test administrator and has provided
testing services to ADOA and many other state agencies. She also pro-vides
typing tests and certifications to those individuals trying to obtain
employment with the state. She volunteers to represent the State at local
job fairs and has done an outstanding job of getting the word out about cur-rent
vacancies and how to apply for state jobs at www.azstatejobs.gov .
Always interested in helping her community, Phyllis volunteered to take
community emergency response team training and is now CERT qualified.
She is also extremely active in her local community participating in numer-ous
charity fund raising activities.
Phyllis Sonnier, Human Resources Employee of the Quarter
Management Services Division Employee of the Quarter
Awarded to Johnny DeLeon, Mailroom
Johnny has worked with the State of Arizona for almost 3½ years and in the Mail-room
for a year. During this past year, Johnny has become an employee who goes
above and beyond the call of his regular duty to assist his customers. When asked to
make special trips back to agencies on his route to pick up additional mail/packages,
he does it with no questions asked. Moreover, he has taken it upon himself to train
new staff when they start work. Johnny is a consistent employee who is here at work
everyday with a friendly smile and a positive attitude. Customers express their appre-ciation
for Johnny’s work-ethic and say he is helpful, patient and always has a great
attitude when they see him. In his short tenure at the Mail Room, he has become a
huge part of the unit’s success. Thank you, Johnny!
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 24
Thieves no longer have to go “dumpster diving” to dig out that old credit
card statement you threw away. They don’t have to don ski masks and
hold you up at gun-point in a dark alley. They can now become cyber
thieves and enjoy the comforts and secrecy of their home computers to
snoop through your personal information. Don’t make it easy for cyber
thieves to steal your identity when you use the
Internet.
Every time you download free computer pro-grams,
games, music or screen savers or visit questionable web
sites on the Internet, there is the risk of spyware coming along to
infect your computer.
Spyware is any program that monitors your activity on the Internet
without your knowledge. The information is transmitted to some-one
else making it easy to steal your identity. Because using spy-ware
is so lucrative, we can expect their use to continue and be-come
even more widespread.
Some tips to protect yourself include, not downloading programs you are not familiar with.
Don’t open e-mails or attachments if you don’t know the sender. Regularly check your credit
report with the three reporting services. Load a spyware blocker on your home computer if it
is connected to the Internet.
Beware of spyware and take actions to prevent your identifying information from being com-promised.
Security Awareness Update
Diid You
Know?
Beware of Spyware
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3 Page 25
Division Welcome Good-bye, Good Luck
Risk Management • Kirsten Harris - new hire
• Etrulia Hughes - new hire
• Elaine Signore - transferred to Agriculture
• Kim Williams - left state service
General Services
• Elaine Epperson - new hire
• Joseph Huff - new hire
• Ryan Maxwell - new hire
• Larry Valenzuela - new hire
• Elizabeth Bernal - left state service
• Gloria Cerros De Herrera - left state service
• David Shrefler - left state service
• Doug Willman - left state service
Benefits • Rochelle Moore - transferred to ADOT
• Jeff Potter - transferred to ADOC
Human Resources
• Connie Magallanes - transferred from Attorney
General
• Frank Morin - transferred from ADOC
• Marie Bonell - left state service
Information
Services
• Scott Gonyea - new hire
• Jim Hendricks - new hire
• George Waselus - reinstated
• Marie Bruce - retired
• Beth Trinh - left state service
• Pam Vespie - retired
• Richard Walker - left state service
Management
Services
• Toni Towne - transferred from DES • Angela Dean - left state service
• Elizabeth Diaz - left state service
• Derrick West - transferred to Auditor General
Capitol Police • Francis Taijeron - new hire • Mario Trevizio - transferred to Liquor Board
TPO • Laurence O’Neill - new hire
• Dan Sanchez - new hire
• Larry Heinz - transferred to ADOR
General Accounting
• Tatyana Shevnina - new hire • Donna Cornella - left state service
• Marianne DeMoss - transferred to Dept. of Ed.
• Jamie Epstein - left state service
• Monica Mims - transferred to Industrial Comm.
Director’s Office • Sherrill Cramer - new hire
SPO • Connie Ickes - transferred from ADOT