Brent Wishart, facilities coordinator at the School of Public Health, has been chosen as recipient of the University of North Carolina School of Public Health’s 2008 Staff Excellence Award. His friends and co-workers at the School are invited to a reception in his honor on Friday, July 18, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Michael Hooker Research Center atrium.

Wishart, who began working at the School in 2002, has helped oversee the many renovation and construction tasks in Rosenau Hall and Michael Hooker Research Center during the last several years, while also serving as the “go-to” person for events planning, parking services, and other daily facilities issues.

His efficiency, helpfulness and the calm good humor with which he carries out so many job responsibilities are not lost on faculty and staff at the School.

“Brent Wishart is one of those quiet and unassuming people who just get the job done,” says Dr. David Potenziani, senior associate dean at the School. “He has stayed late, come in early, and worked weekends to keep the place running.  He moves beyond the state’s motto -- Esse Quam Videri (“To be rather than to seem”) -- by doing both.”

“Brent is one of the most competent, committed and concerned people I’ve ever met,” says Dean Barbara K. Rimer. “Before a big event, I know he will be in the School late at night making sure everything is just right. I also appreciate that he carries this over to his concern for people, including his neighbors.  He is truly a School of Public Health treasure.”

“Here’s just one of the amazing ways he helps,” says Sherry Rhodes, director of the Office of Student Affairs, who enlists Wishart’s help on a number of student-related events, including orientation and commencement.

“Last year, the Minority Student Caucus held an event on a Saturday.  When I arrived at 8 a.m., Brent was already vacuuming the carpets in the atrium.  I asked him what he was doing at work on a Saturday, and he just said, ‘I knew this needed to be done before the event.’”

Wishart appears to thrive on the customer service aspect of his job. He is excited about the availability of the atrium as a gathering place for School events.  (“It’s a great place for everything from bake sales to career fairs and formal dinners,” he says.)  However, some challenges are posed by the greater number of scheduled events and the fact that they require more complex set-up.

“The biggest challenge is keeping people calm when they’re faced with any sort of emergency,” Wishart says. “I try to not get excited and just figure out who we need to find to solve their problem.”

Being able to interact with people in the School and from other places is part of the job Wishart most enjoys.  “People are appreciative of the assistance,” Wishart says, “and it’s nice to be able to help so many people.”

If a person’s character can be judged by the impressions of those who work most closely with him, the remarks of Wishart’s supervisees Pete Mestre and William White are telling.

“I’m glad Brent keeps the constant good humor going,” Mestre says, remarking that good humor can come in handy in Wishart’s job. “And he’s a modest man who works hard and loves this University.”

“Brent is a compassionate person who puts everyone else before himself,” White says. “As a supervisor, he never judges but always tries to put himself in your shoes.  He takes time to listen, and he always has a positive view on life.  I’m very lucky to call him a friend.”

The Staff Excellence Award was first presented in 1991.  A committee of staff members from throughout the School votes on the nominees, using the criteria of leadership, initiative, and attitude.

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School of Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.