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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT � LINDA GARZA
A long-time University of Houston
loyal has joined the Administration and Finance and Student
Affairs team. UH alumni Linda Garza became our Director of
Business Services on March 1, 2012.
Garza has worked for the university for over 15 years, starting
out in work study as a student. She was searching for the office
where she needed to interview and got lost. When one floor was
locked, she went to the next floor and ended up walking into the
office of Pat Sayles, her first and current supervisor.
�It was a good wrong turn,� Garza said. �Pat has been my mentor
and I�ve learned a lot from her.�
Garza did work study for Sayles as a student until she graduated
in 1998. About a year after graduation, Sayles offered her a job
doing contracts administration at Arte Publico Press. Garza
worked her way up at the publication, moving to the Managing
Editor position. After around six years and Sayles� transition
to the Dean�s Office in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
(CLASS), Garza soon followed and became the CLASS Department
Business Administrator. She was promoted in April 2011 to
CLASS�s College Business Administrator before moving to her
current position.
As Director of Business Services, Garza will be assisting
Sayles, now the Executive Director of Business Services for A&F
and Student Affairs. She said she will be working on getting all
departments compliant, providing guidance on policies,
certifying documents and setting up efficiencies.
�It�s been a great learning experience and I�m looking forward
to working under A&F and Student Affairs. It is different than
working on the academic side,� Garza said.
Garza said she shares the customer-focused policy with her
department, whether by helping a lost student or answering
questions that may come in to her staff. She said since becoming
a part of the team, she has felt welcomed by the department.
�I like to always learn and be kept on my toes. If I can train
someone, I�m open to that. I tell my staff it is full circle.
You learn from me and I will learn from you. That�s how we can
really succeed. That�s the way I see it,� she said.
Garza received her bachelor�s degree from UH in political
science with a double minor in business management and Mexican
American studies. She has a 12-year-old son Lorenzo that said he
hopes to be a paleontologist one day. She said he is her number
one priority.
�What my son needs, I will do for him. That�s who I live for,�
she said.
Originally from Harlingen, Texas, Garza came to UH as a transfer
from the University of Texas at Brownsville and has stayed here
ever since. She said she has seen a lot of changes during her
time at the university.
�I�m enjoying how much the university has grown. You see a lot
more student involvement and campus spirit. It�s good to see it
grow and grow,� she said.
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