The Grounds Annual Customer Service Award

In Recognition of Steve Kaupas, Grounds Services Employee 1999 - 2004

Steve Kaupas, Grounds Services Supervisor for Student and Faculty Staff Housing, and Special Housing worked at Stanford University from 1999 to 2004. He suddenly and tragically died on December 1, 2004. He was an exemplary employee and is remembered for his commitment to his friends, coworkers and clients.

The Grounds Services Department wishes to encourage and recognize the qualities that Steve Kaupas demonstrated through the Grounds Services Customer Service Award for superb customer service, excellent leadership and teamwork skills, and a desire to always strive for the highest quality work.

This annual award is open to all current regular staff in the Grounds Services organization. Criteria for the award includes excellence in teamwork skills, recognized leadership skills, high quality craftsmanship and attention to detail, dedication to their job, department, and the University, pride in work accomplished, safety awareness on the job, positive attitude, good attendance, professionalism in craftsmanship and dress, and taking initiative and responsibility. The selection committee consists of Grounds staff, supervisors and previous year winners evaluate written nominations and the winner is selected by a vote of the selection committee members. The recipient of the award is announced at a staff meeting on or near Steve's birthday every year. There is a stone with a plaque just outside of the Grounds Services yard that displays each year's winner.

The 2008 winner of the Customer Service Award in honor of Steve Kaupas - Dave Birnie

Dave has shown time and time again what customer service really means. He consistently goes above and beyond, offering Grounds staff advice and training on vehicles and equipment and catching safety problems before employees are put at risk. Interacting with crews, supervisors, admins, and vendors, Dave anticipates the needs of the Grounds Services crew and ensures our maintenance program can keep running smoothly. Dave has been nominated for his exemplary service in past years and we are proud to recognize him with the 2008 Steve Kaupas Customer Service Award. Thanks, Dave, for all you do!

Also nominated were:

  • Administrative Team
  • Rafael Arguello, Groundskeeper
  • Aaron Biggs, Groundskeeper
  • Michael Burdzinski, Tree Crew Lead
  • Virgil Castro, Sprinkler/Landscape Technician
  • Carlos Ceballos, Sprinkler/Landscape Specialist
  • Art Chacon, Equipment Operations Lead
  • Equipment Operations (Mow) Crew
  • Jose Escanuela, Academic Maintenance Lead
  • Paul Hansen, Pest Control Lead (and Pest Control Crew)
  • Keith Huffman, Landscape Construction Lead
  • Greg McCoy, Housing Supervisor
  • Luis Melo, Tree Specialist
  • Overtime Event Technicians
  • Catherine Parrish, Academic Maintenance Lead
  • Dave Perkins, Road Maintenance Lead
  • Eva Ramirez, Groundskeeper
  • Jorge Sanchez, Equipment Operator
  • Karen Stidd, Horticulture Group Supervisor
  • Elissa Watters, Administrative Associate
  • Chris Rippey, Tree Specialist

The 2007 winner of the Customer Service Award in honor of Steve Kaupas - Mary Nolan

Mary is an inspiration to work with and an excellent role model for her staff as well as for everyone in the department. She shows professionalism in communicating, the handling of issues, and with timely follow-up of required paperwork. Mary helped to conceive and implement morals and skills developing programs for the department and for individual staff including cross-training opportunities. Mary has a way of making each customer feel as if their wants are all that matters. Her dedication to the department goes beyond the everyday duties by organizing off duty group activities including fishing trips, fund raisers, and she coordinates the annual holiday Grounds video that has become a favorite tradition. Mary has an eye for recognizing quality work and has recruited and hired many of the “stars” currently working for Grounds. You can always depend on Mary to be at work, rain or shine, bright and early every morning with a great attitude and a smile for everyone. Mary never looses her coo and handles all types of situations with grace. If you have a question, it's probably a good bet that Mary will have the answer for you or point you in the right direction. Great job, Mary!

Also nominated were:

  • Dave Birnie, Garage Mechanic
  • Julie Day, Horticultural Technician
  • Jose Escanuela, Gardener
  • Jose Nunez, Groundskeeper
  • Catherine Parrish, Academic Lead
  • Ted Tucholski, Landscape & Construction Supervisor
  • Jose Vasquez, Groundskeeper
  • Elissa Watters, Administrative Associate
  • The Academic Cleanup and Shrub Crew
  • The Grounds Administration Team

The 2006 winner of the Steve Kaupas Customer Service Award - Danny DaRosa

Danny has 20 years of service with Grounds Services. Originally hired as an Equipment Operator, Danny worked his way through various teams to successfully obtain the Academic Crew Leader position.

Danny brings loyalty, reliability, accountability, responsibility, caring, and excellent customer service to his team and to the department. He regularly assists with training programs, positively interacts with customers on a daily basis, and supports the other leads in their roles. He clearly has an “open door” policy and offers advice and support to his teammates and others. He is a mentor, a “go between” for the technicians and supervisors. If something is brewing, he'll step in and guide and coach the team through the issue.

This past year, he successfully served as acting supervisor for six weeks. During this time, Danny was responsible for one of the largest crews within Grounds. He also coordinated the Grounds work requests for Student Orientation, which is one of the biggest annual events on campus. Big kudos to Danny!

We are also proud to recognize those who were nominated:

  • Art Chacon, Lead for Special Housing Mow Crew
  • Chirs McGilvery, Groundskeeper for Faculty Staff and Student Housing
  • Greg McCoy, Supervisor for Faculty Staff and Student Housing
  • Luis Melo, Equipment Operator I for the Tree Crew
  • Mary Nolan, Supervisor for Academic Maintenance
  • Ted Tucholski, Supervisor for Construction and Irrigation
  • David Zollo, Gardener for Special Housing.
»