Chuck Thompson Award History
In honor of former Assistant Director of Facilities Services, Charles F. (Chuck) Thompson, his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Thompson, established an endowment with the University of Tennessee specifically designated for two annual cash-incentive awards for non-exempt employees of our department.
Every year, two awards are given, one from the skilled craft areas and one from the clerical, services and support areas, and each recipient must have at least 10 years of service with the university. This year, 28 people were nominated across a total of 116 nominations.
Service/Clerical 2024 Winner – Ann Free
The Service/Clerical winner of the 2024 Chuck Thompson Award is someone who works tirelessly to make sure the needs of campus staff, visitors, and students are always met in a timely manner. They provide quality service to all of campus – even when their workload seems insurmountable. In the face of a challenge, they demonstrate kindness and professionalism with everyone they encounter.
This honoree has dedicated much of their life to Facilities Services, and always does so with a smile and gentle spirit. Often juggling multiple tasks at one time, most of us are unsure how they manage to keep everything straight while maintaining exemplary customer service.
Many of our teams in Facilities Services would not be able to execute all the services we provide to campus without the hard work and dedication of this individual.
Our winner is often the very first person from Facilities Services that customers contact with questions or concerns, and without fail, they are met by a friendly and knowledgeable person on the other side of the phone.
While our winner may not always have the answers, she does know who to call, and her follow-through makes all the difference. She is a voice of reassurance when issues arise as she works hard to maintain calm and demonstrate care.
She is a fantastic representation of Facilities Services and our commitment to serving the university, and we are lucky to have her.
Facilities Services is proud to present this 2024 Chuck Thompson Award to Ms. Ann Free, General Dispatch, Maintenance & Repair.
Crafts 2024 Winner – Steve Bodenheimer
The person chosen for the 2024 Chuck Thompson Award in Crafts is someone who goes above and beyond in their duties every day. This person often works long hours without complaint for the good of the university and the customers we serve. He takes on extra duties without complaint, and he is available when needed.
He is a mentor and friend to the men on crew, and he is a beacon of encouragement for many of our team members -even those who don’t have the distinct pleasure of working with him daily. He holds his teammates in highest regard and has great respect for those he’s honored to work alongside. He has a smile that can improve even the toughest of tasks, and his kindness reminds you why what we do in Facilities Services matters.
He is a walking example of what it means to live out the Core Values of Facilities Services through quality service, teamwork, accountability, reliability, continuous improvement, and commitment in all he does. He is loyal to UT and to Facilities Services, and he is always sharing ideas to improve upon utilities systems.
The honoree has been through a lot, both professionally and personally, and he has taken it all in stride. He’s been nominated for this award several times, and it is an honor and a privilege to present this award to him today. A true Volunteer, through and through, he is a crucial part of the heartbeat of this campus, and we are better because he’s on our team.
Congratulations to the 2024 Chuck Thompson Award winner for Crafts: Mr. Steve Bodenheimer, Electrical Services, Utilities Services.
2024 Nominees
Service/Clerical
Amanda Ruelle, Design & Planning
Ann Free, Maintenance & Repair
Evghenia Sevastianova, Building Services
Jeff Barnes, Construction Services
Jeff Clark, Maintenance & Repair
Johnathan Sawyer, Operations
Luther Holloway, Finance & Administration
Michelle Johnson, Building Services
Michelle Lawson, Building Services
Rick Caldwell, Construction Services
Sandra Slusser, Building Services
Crafts
Beau Baker, Utilities Services
Bill Witucki, Utilities Services
Buddy Weaver, Maintenance & Repair
Cecil Woody, Maintenance & Repair
David Ridings, Utilities Services
Dustin Webb, Construction Services
Greg Parton, Utilities Services
Josh Cash, Maintenance & Repair
Kyle Delong, Utilities Services
Paul Hash, Maintenance & Repair
Robby Huggins, Utilities Services
Robert Dykes, Maintenance & Repair
Ronnie Couch, Construction Services
Steve Bodenheimer, Utilities Services
Steve Ferguson, Utilities Services
Tim Faulkner, Construction Services
Vaughn Gusby, Maintenance & Repair