By SUSAN JONES
The voluntary staff early retirement program announced in June has led to the departure of 453 staff members out of 840 who were eligible, or about 59 percent.
The last day for all those choosing the retirement package was Sept. 30, although David DeJong, vice chancellor for Human Resources, said about 156 have returned as All-Temps employees to complete specific projects.
The program was available to any staff member 59 or older as of May 1, 2020, with 10 years of continuous service as a full-time regular employee. Part-time regular staff 59 and older who’ve had 10 years of continuous service and were hired before July 1, 2004, also are eligible under a grandfather clause.
At September’s Senate Council meeting, Staff Council President Andy Stephany said that Staff Council “acknowledged the hundreds of staff retiring at the end of the month, thanking them for the years of service, dedication and mentorship. I know of several retirees from my perspective, who have impacted me directly, and I want to thank them all for their mentorship and guidance.”
He said Staff Council will be a “contact and resource for individuals who whose workload and tasks will be significantly impacted by the voids left from those retiring. While acknowledging that the retirement program is a cost savings measure, it’s also an opportunity for remaining staff to take a step forward in their careers here at the University, and I'm excited for that.”
Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said at the same Senate Council meeting, “This will help the University, but not at 100 percent of those savings. Obviously, in a voluntary program, there's going to be some reinvestment and things that we have to do. But I want to thank and appreciate those retirees who are going to be doing that. … They’ve been a key part of the University, and they’ve really made a huge contribution. But by electing to do this, they’re also creating opportunity for others. And I think as Andy said, that is an exciting thing and something we should take advantage of.”
The retirements include several people who had been at Pitt for more than 40 years, but only one who broke the 50 mark — Rosie Rinella, assistant to the dean in the School of Social Work.
Two assistant deans departed from the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, and University Registrar Patty Mathay retired after 44 years at Pitt.
Below are some of those who chose the early retirement option. The names were provided by each department. Any departments or units that did not submit lists, but would like to, can send them to utimes@pitt.edu. Please include name, years of service and job title.
BUSINESS & AUXILIARY SERVICES
Harold D. Brayo (34 years), senior press operator
Andy H. Brown (14 years), building superintendent
Linda A. Dovey (13 years), sales associate
Mark D. Galway (25 years), print shop administrator
Robert J. Helfrich (47 years), warehouse specialist
Dorothy Lee Hollie (34 years), print specialist
Linda F. Lockard (44 years), senior financial Coordinator
Paul W. Martin (12 years), warehouse specialist
Christina M. McGuire (16 years), sales associate
Vickie Praytor (36 years), warehouse specialist
Clayton Dennis Robinson (21 years), desk attendant
Betsy Alyn Scott (15 years), billing coordinator
Timothy E. Shimko (34 years), lead press operator
DIETRICH SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Cynthia Albert (18 years), Humanities–staff support, costume foreman
Barbara Anderson (19 years), Psychology, research associate
Michael Barrett (10.5 years), Research support services, stockroom manager
Lynn Bereznak (13 years), Central support staff, Sponsored Projects administrator
Christine Berliner (35.5 years), Biological Sciences, senior advisor
Eleanor Caligiuri (45 years), Biological Sciences, laboratory aide
Deborah Connell (42.5 years), Psychology, assistant to the chair
Phyllis Deasy (35 years), Social Sciences–staff support, student services manager
Barbara Delraso (19.5 years), Physics and Astronomy, center administrator
David Demilio (29.5 years), Chemistry, research specialist IV
Laura Dice (27 years), assistant dean, director of First-Year Programs
Elizabeth Dummer (11 years), Research support services, finance manager
Patricia Freker (23.5 years), Central support staff, payroll/personnel coordinator
Thomas Gasmire (38.5 years), Research support services, machine shop supervisor
Veronica Gazdik (11 years), Humanities–staff support, visual resources coordinator
Kathleen Gibson (17 years), Social Sciences–staff support, department coordinator
Mary Hamler (42 years), Humanities–staff support, department administrator
Stephanie Hanville (23.5 years), Advising Center,advisor
Thomas Harper (41.5 years), Research support services, research specialist IV
Maureen Henderson (12.5 years), Humanities–staff support, administrative officer
Linda Hicks (41 years), Humanities–staff support, administrative officer
Leyla Hirschfeld (44 years), Physics and Astronomy, graduate administrator
Judith Hreha (16.5 years), Geology and Environmental Science, travel and business coordinator
Debra Hunt (26 years), Chemistry, undergraduate coordinator
Karen Ianni (43 years), Central support staff, department administrator
Patricia Landon (16.5 years), Social Sciences–staff support, academic administrator
Lynn Lantz (15 years), Social Sciences–staff support, department coordinator
Paula Locante (43 years), Humanities–staff support, business coordinator
Regina Mahouski (36 years), Chemistry, undergraduate coordinator
Nancy Matrozza (32 years), Social Sciences–staff support, academic administrator
Barbara Mowery (48 years), Advising Center, senior advisor
Lori Neu (14 years), Research support services, research glass blower
Erie Pierre (22.5 years), Dean's Office, systems analyst
Paula Riemer (26 years), Humanities–staff support, department administrator
Margaret Schneider (25 years), Advising Center assistant director
Jeffrey Sicher (35 years), Research support services, plant operator
Georgia Spears (21.5 years), Social Sciences–staff support, department coordinator
James Stango (35 years), Physics and Astronomy, research specialist IV
Grace Tomcho (40 years), Social Sciences–staff support, events team manager
Barbara Vattimo (33.5 years), Dean's Office, assistant dean for Business and Finance
Debra Ziolkowski (31.5 years), Social Sciences–staff support, events coordinator
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Mary Ann Gebet (46 years), executive assistant to the dean and associate dean
OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH
Robert D. Goga (36 years), director
Eileen F. McLaughlin (30 years), information analyst
Colette D. Ross (47 years), information analyst
OFFICE OF RESEARCH PROTECTIONS
Thomas Carey (15 years), Human Research Protection Office/Institutional Review Board
Cynthia Kern (23 years), Investigator, sponsored IND and IDE support
Teresa McKaveney (24 years), Human Research Protection Office/Institutional Review Board
Patricia Orndoff (27 years), Office of Research Protections
Michael Sheetz (38 years), radiation safety
James Wood (31 years), radiation safety
PITT IT
Dan Clements (33.5 years), telecom project manager
Patrick Connolly (28.5 years), NOC systems engineer
Michael Cornell (28 years), service delivery technician
Frank Eggleston (18 years), help desk analyst
Richard Fassinger (22 years), service delivery technician
Mark Fialkovich (32 years), service delivery technician
Vernon Franklin (39 years), Diversity and Inclusion Program manager
Richard Gemmell (33 years), Oracle applications developer
Linda Haberman (24 years), senior telephone operator
Scott Hanna (14 years), network engineer
Nadine Hlad (18 years), business analyst
Lily Hoy (46.5 years), financial enterprise resource planning analyst
George Kovalchick (20.5 years), application systems analyst
Michael Logoyda (15 years), service delivery manager
Donald Miller (29 years), service delivery technician
Joanne Mohney (27 years), contracts coordinator
David Schatz (31.5 years), senior consultant
Mary Shea (30 years), PeopleSoft security business analyst
Kenneth Soenen (15 years), Oracle applications DBA
Frank Szegedy (20.5 years), service delivery technician/analyst
Tod Treganowan (29 years), senior lab coordinator
Lawrence Werner (15 years), telecom analyst
PITT LAW
Patricia Blake (17 years), faculty secretary
Linda Coccaro (23 years), administrative assistant
Darleen Mocello (42 years), word processor
Barbara Salopek (41 years), administrative assistant
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE
Marieva Anderson-Barrios (21 years), transcripts and certification specialist
Karen Geragi (32 years), registration services specialist
Marjorie Martin (14 years), registration services specialist
David Geragi (13 years), support services assistant
Patricia Mathay (44 years), University registrar
Carolyn Zimmermann (15 years), academic records specialist
SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION
Carolyn Loether (40+ years), assistant to the dean for many years and recently administrative support.
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES
Corinne Grubb (14 years), administrator, Physical Therapy
Debby Keelan (15 years), project manager, Strategic Initiatives, Dean's Office
Patty Kummick (16 years), executive director, Internal and External Relations, Dean's Office
Robin Metzler (33 years), clinical instructor, Communication Science and Disorders
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Department of Medicine – Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Mary Pat Rocco (20 years), senior administrative assistant
Catherine Vitari (13 years), research clinical nurse manager
Dorothy Voith (19 years), division administrator
Office of Medical Education
Betsy Nero (20 years), assessment coordinator
Judith Schantz (30 years), executive curriculum specialist
Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology
Richard T. Serventi (37 years), basic research assistant
Department of Surgery
Sally J. Tress (44 years), administrative assistant
Department of Surgery, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute
Antoinette Beasley (12 years), pre-award administrator
Janet Coulter (30 years), administrative coordinator
Donna Gaspich (32 years), administrative assistant
Division of General Internal Medicine
Joyce Holl (40 years), Program for Health Care to Underserved Populations administrator
Donna Bishop (18 years), QI analyst
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Suzanne Brody (17 years), associate director of recruitment
Frances Casillo (15 years), senior research specialist
Theresa Dinardo (13 years), administrative secretary
Kathleen Donatellli (27 years), financial analyst
Diane Knowlton (22 years), administrative secretary
Mary Roberge (16 years), nurse interventionist
Mary Schubert (20 years), director of Professional Development and Continuing Nursing Education
Deborah Zipay (15 years), associate budget director
Kathleen Zoldos (33 years), senior building operations manager
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
Rosie Rinella (52 years), executive assistant to the dean
Mary Pat Elthattab (30 years), academic administrator for the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program
Marcia Piel (30 years), recorder, academic administrator
OTHER
Canard Grigsby (15+ years), senior planner in Planning Design and Real Estate
Mary K. Martin (13 years), associate director, Office of Academic Career Development, Health Sciences
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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