Champions of Diversity Award FY'09 - 4th Quarter Award Recipients

Champions are recognized for their efforts toward Sodexo employees, clients, customers, and the communities Sodexo serves.

Corporate Offices
Michael Chauby, Director, Accounting, Buffalo, NY
As the Co-Chair for Sodexo Organization for disAbilities Resources (SOAR), Michael goes beyond the “day job” to ensure that employees with disabilities have access to tools that help fulfill their potential and maximize productivity. For his employees who are hearing impaired, he has provided a TTY with a visual display, and to keep them safe, he has arranged for installation a flashing fire alarm to augment the audible alarm. Michael has coached team members to face the employees with hearing impairments in order to facilitate better verbal communication. He has posted 'People First Language' fliers as a reminder to address individuals with disabilities in a manner that places more value on the person as opposed to highlighting the disability. Michael does not allow a disability to hinder his employees from being all that they can be!

Campus Services
Michelle “Mo” Schifley, General Manager, Sage College, Troy, NY
For the past three years, Mo has generated excitement and enthusiasm as she facilitates diversity learning labs. She engages and connects with the audience through her unique presentation style. She demonstrates a passion for this work as she “walks the talk” in her own accounts. She consistently offers diversity related training for her frontline staff. Mo takes the time to understand her employees' needs, and helps them identify their own solutions to issues they are faced with. For Mo, diversity is a part of everyday conversations.a way to open the door for others to share and learn. Through the inclusive environment that Mo has fostered, she has a highly engaged team that effectively supports one another as the deliver for their client and customers.

Corporate Service Solutions
Glenn Piccolo, General Manager, Vanguard, Scottsdale, AZ
Glenn has helped Sodexo advance diversity and inclusion by starting an intern program for the culinary students at the Arizona School for the Deaf. This program broadens the opportunities for the interns and creates a pool of Sodexo trained candidates for units in the Phoenix area once the internship is completed. Glenn also works with a local catering program called “One Step Beyond” which is a group of culinarians who are cognitively challenged. Glenn believes that he is “truly blessed and learns more by working with these organizations than he is able to teach.”

Healthcare Services
Diane Pennington, General Manager & Team. at Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown, PA
Diane and her team have gained rapport and focused on building relationships throughout the hospital, and in particular the volunteer workforce. In fact, the Food & Nutrition Department's Snack Bar was awarded the 2009 Team Builder Award from the hospital volunteers for bridging the gap between hospital associates, teen volunteers, adult volunteers and providing an inclusive team atmosphere. Diane leveraged resources provided by i-Gen Network Group to connect across the different generations, including the teenagers and senior citizens they interact with on a daily basis. She and her team also tie in cultural education with all of their food promotions, involving every ethnic demographic represented in the hospital. They have conducted outreach with the hospital community, coordinating food drives, collecting items for our troops, and sponsoring the Tree of Warmth, to benefit the free clinic.

School Services
Paula Presley, Operations Manager, Food II, Keller Independent Schools, Keller, TX
Paula is breaking down silos through her cross-divisional relationships, as she supports several Network Groups and acts as chair of the Women's Network Group (WiNG) Chapter in Texas. In addition, she is actively participating in the Company's Spirit of Mentoring initiatives. Paula dedicates time the community, organizing teams to help at the local food bank, and in her home district, she is developing programs for Community Outreach for students and parents. Paula's way of thinking is simple.”build bridges, utilize them to work together, stay positive, and feel good that what you are doing is making a difference.”

Sodexo Awards

Meet Our People

aaronbrooks

Meet Aaron Brooks, Resident Dining Director at Ciao Hall. Aaron takes pride in his good working relationships - his philosophy is "take care of your employees and your employees will take care of your customers."

Read more about Aaron and other Sodexo employees in our MEET OUR PEOPLE page.

Print page