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Building Services staff gathered this week to honor one of their own as this year's Hobart Award winner. Henry Hall, whose diverse skills are utilized all over campus, was named as the 13th recipient of the award.

Most of us have an idea of what to expect in our jobs each day. Hall has no idea what each day will bring. Hall has a unique, and one of the more difficult positions, in Building Services -- floater. Nearly every day, he fills in assignment gaps for absent employees.

"Though the job suits a person who likes constant variety," said David Holthouser, director of facilities and engineering, "every day finds Henry in foreign territory without the benefit of repetition."

Which key goes to what? Are there tasks that need to happen in a particular order or at a particular time? Where are the supplies and tools? The regular Building Services staff develop these rhythms over time; Henry must figure them out on the fly.

The Hobart Award winner is determined through a peer nomination and justification process. This year, Hall’s peers recognized the difficulty of this constant motion, his commitment to performing tasks beyond filling a gap, and his consistent positive attitude. When the staff is at full strength, peers get a real boost when Hall joins them for a special project in their building, Holthouser said.

Established by his son John Donald Hobart '51, the award honors the memory of Frank Donald Hobart, supervisor of buildings and grounds from 1925 - 1959. The award recognizes on an annual basis a member of the hourly Physical Plant staff who embodies the qualities of dedication, loyalty, cooperation, patience and mentoring demonstrated by Hobart during his nearly 35 years of service to 51¹ÙÍø.