Honoring a STAR on campus
Cole Hatcher Wins Annual Staff Award; Others honored for Service Milestones
Cole Hatcher has been a shining force on Ohio Wesleyan’s campus for 11 years, and on Wednesday, he was recognized with the 2017 Special Thanks and Recognition (STAR) Award from the University Staff Council.
The award, in its second year, honors a non-faculty employee who goes above and beyond his or her job description, offering encouragement, a positive attitude, and an efficient work ethic to the campus community. Nominees are judged by the Staff Council.
Hatcher is the Director of Media and Community Relations, but to those who know him, he’s a wearer of many hats: public relations professional, storyteller, editor, committee member, mentor, mission trip leader, and friend, to name just a few.
He was nominated for the award by Will Kopp, Chief Communication Officer. “Cole puts every ounce of effort and creative thought into his work – whether it’s a simple OWU Daily announcement, a major news release, or a pitch to the Chronicle,” Kopp says. “You know Cole’s work is going to be accurate, incredibly fast, and have that spark of imagination that makes it memorable.”
To those who work with Hatcher, his work ethic can only be described with one word: perfection.
During the past year, Hatcher has helped Ohio Wesleyan gain positive publicity in national publications including The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and The Hechinger Report.
In the community, he serves on the Main Street Delaware Board of Directors, participates in the Town-Gown Council with President Rock Jones and Delaware leaders, and works closely with business and civic leaders across the city.
“In my 35 years in this business,” Kopp concludes, “Cole is the most reliable, most responsive media relations professional I’ve worked with. You might say he’s perfect.”
During the Jan. 10 recognition event, Ohio Wesleyan also honored staff members reaching milestones in their service to the campus community. Those honored included:
40+ YEARS OF SERVICE
- Tony Caldwell
- Cecilia Stout
30 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Bernard Derr
- Nancy Rutkowski
- Nancy Sanford
- Jeanette Wingate
25 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Cathy Holland
- Dale Swartzentruber
20 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Carol Holliger
- Laurie Patton
- Kirk Turner Rustin
- Jerry Sherman
- Sharon Showman
- Laura Tuhela-Reuning
15 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Kris Boey
- Chadwyn Knutson
- Joette Kugler
- Tyler Mott
- Jay Scheffel
- Jacqueline Shelley
10 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Shane Andrews
- Dana Behum
- Joni Garloch
- Kellie Hall
- Patricia Kelly
- Todd Miller
- Stephen Perakis
- Timmy Shaw
- Mona Spalsbury
- Georgeann Stinemetz
- Dawn Wright
5 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Natalie Doan
- Kathryn Earls
- Benjamin Emch
- Ian Formaz
- Melissa Hill
- Deborah Lewis
- Lindsay Mauter
- Joseph Peterson
- Maureen Reese
- Thomas Watts
- Mark Wicker
- Melissa Yost
- Miranda Zink