Beverly Green

BEVERLY GREEN NAMED 2008 MCELHINNEY AWARD RECIPIENT

When Beverly Green first came to work at the University of Houston, she didn’t believe she would stay long. Having moved from Hot Springs, Ark., she was not sure if she would ever adjust to life in the big city and a career at a university.

To her surprise, Houston felt like home, as did her workplace at UH. Now, 27 years later, Green, a custodian supervisor for Residence Life and Housing (RLH), still is a proud Houstonian and committed university staff member.

Her work and dedication continue to have a positive impact on the campus. So much so, she has been named the recipient of the 2008 C.F. McElhinney Distinguished Service Award.

“I am getting ready to retire at the beginning of 2009, so this award is a nice parting gift,” Green said. “I have enjoyed my career here and always will appreciate the support I’ve received from my co-workers.”

Green has worked for RLH throughout her 27 years of service at UH. She began as a custodian in 1981, and in 1996, she was promoted to lead custodian. In 2001, Green became a custodian supervisor.

Her thoughtful and analytical nature has earned her the trust of her co-workers. One of the staff members that nominated Green acknowledged these traits.

“She works to make things run smoothly and efficiently,” he said. “She exhibits a high degree of concern for her co-workers and for the department. Also, she can be counted on to work extra hours when needed.”

Green’s attentiveness has factored into numerous projects in which she made smart decisions to safeguard the campus community. Among these was research focused on finding environmentally friendly and nontoxic cleaning agents.

Green also is budget-conscious in her decision making. She takes into careful consideration how to best save the university money with regard to custodial tasks and RLH facilities.

“I always try to make sure that the university does not waste its resources,” she said. “If I see some furniture that’s old but still functional, I’ll let my supervisor know. Perhaps someone in my department can make minor adjustments to older furniture pieces, so budget funds can be applied in other areas. It’s important to make sure that UH’s money is well spent, so we can effectively maintain its facilities for the students.”

While Green’s retirement is several months away, she admitted that it will be hard to leave UH. Although she has many family members in Houston, her co-workers have become like brothers and sisters as well. In fact, she met a key member of her family on campus, her husband, Al Griffin.

“Working with good people is important,” she said. “I am very fortunate that my workplace has had a family-like setting. You can’t find that at too many places, and I’m glad that I found it here.”

As the C.F. McElhinney Award recipient, Green will receive a plaque and a check for $2,500.

Mike Emery
Staff writer