Shirley Zwinggi, Chair of the Employee Recognition Program Committee, is stepping down from leading the committee as she retires this month following 39 years of service as a UT Southwestern employee.

Ms. Zwinggi, an Administrative Manager in the Department of Surgery, started working at UTSW in 1980 as an Employment Interviewer in Personnel. She advanced to management roles in Employment, Benefits, and Employee Relations and then transferred to Surgery in 1992 as Assistant to the Department Chair, later leading to her current role. In 2004, she was appointed Chair of the Employee Recognition Committee.

“It is the absolute best committee on campus. To have the opportunity to thank our wonderful staff and to celebrate their years of service is a privilege. It is so fun to celebrate with employees who love working at UT Southwestern as much as I do,” she said.

Her best memory is of the year the Committee recognized its first 50-year honoree, James Campbell, who had started working for the former St. Paul University Hospital in 1961. That was in 2012.

Heading the committee that plans the annual Quarter Century Club event – usually a congratulatory luncheon – has not been without challenges at times. She recalled one year in particular.

“The most unsettling moment was when the power went off in the ND Building about 45 minutes before the luncheon was scheduled to begin. The elevators, lights, and AC were not working,” she said, “Some of the attendees actually climbed 14 stories while the majority of the guests were waiting on the ground level. We also were concerned the kitchen did not have power. The power did get restored about 15 minutes before we were scheduled to start. We were a little late in starting but we all laughed at the situation and will never forget it.”

Janelle Browne, VP of Human Resources, thanked Ms. Zwinggi for her dedication to the committee, ever-infectious smile, and positive attitude, which have made this program so successful and facilitated UTSW employee engagement.

“We are extremely grateful for Shirley’s contributions to this committee over the years. Her dedication to employee recognition and helping to make celebration of longtime service a special event for our employees is extraordinary. She will be missed,” Ms. Browne said.