Faces

From Gandy dancer to UNC Charlotte Employee of the Year could be the title of Kurt Richter’s biography.

Richter, an instructional technology specialist in the Center for Teaching and Learning, was honored earlier this year; his plaque rests within a special place inside his Kennedy Building office – his halibut/orange roughy fishing net.

Solomon Franklin is enthusiastic about making a difference, not only at UNC Charlotte but in the greater community.

A member of the 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte Inc., Franklin mentors two young men, one in middle school, the other is in high school. He also is on the organization’s board of directors as chief operating officer.

After a decade at Northern Kentucky University, Beth Lorenz decided to seek a new professional opportunity. The search led her to UNC Charlotte’s Office of Education Abroad, where she serves as assistant director.

It’s been about 15 months since Lorenz’s arrival in the Queen City, and she continues to explore her new home.

Associate registrar Will Espin once worked for Donald Trump—and he’s quick to point out he wasn’t fired.

The former Trump Taj Mahal vice president actually retired from the casino industry and returned to North Carolina. He enrolled at UNC Charlotte to finish an undergraduate degree he originally started at UNC Chapel Hill. After completing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, he earned an M.B.A. in 2007.

Tina Dadio’s mantra for all University employees is “when in doubt contact the Office of Legal Affairs.”

Dadio is the University public records officer and a paralegal, and during her five years on campus, she’s experienced a different work environment from that of being a paralegal in the for-profit world.

Marjorie Bray assists individuals and corporations to channel their philanthropic visions into reality as director of development for the College of Computing and Informatics (CCI).

As the business officer for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS), Eleanor Stafford has her eyes on the money. That means she is immersed in budgetary matters.

The College of Education’s Amy Palmer has spent virtually her entire working career as an advocate for children with special needs.
Currently, Palmer is the grants office manager in the Department of Special Education and Child Development, but she assumed the job after teaching special education for nearly 20 years.

Jessica Barton is taking on a new challenge this year as the first-ever communications officer for the UNC Charlotte Staff Council.
“One of our goals is to reach out to more staff members to increase awareness about Staff Council events and initiatives,” said Barton, who is a business analyst for the Belk College of Business. “I plan to explore how to use other forms of communication beyond email, such as the digital displays in buildings, and we are in the process of reworking the Staff Council website, too.”

Earlier this year, John Renwick was honored as one of the Employees of the Year in the safety/heroism category for coming to the aid of a campus visitor.
While humbled to be singled out as one of the recipients, Renwick said he was glad he could render assistance to an individual in distress.
Renwick, a facilities management Zone 4 staff member, noticed a stopped car blocking traffic on Alumni Way, near the Residence Dining Hall (RDH) on June 3, 2013. He discovered the man was in diabetic shock.