Happenings
Celebrating Division 54 Standouts
Associate of the Month – April
Marzyeh Ghorbanali
Division 54 named Marzyeh Ghorbanali, an accounting technician III, April Associate of the Month for her outstanding customer service, reliable expertise in travel and expense processes and commitment to continuous improvement. She consistently exceeds expectations to support both internal and external customers with professionalism, patience and responsiveness that earned her the Spring 2024 Customer Experience Award. A trusted resource and collaborative team player, Marzyeh has contributed to process enhancements through multiple process improvement submissions, training new employees and sharing her extensive knowledge to uplift the entire team.
Associate of the Month – May
Julian Bargas
The May Associate of the Month is Julian Bargas, an accounting technician II, because of his superior performance, leadership and adaptability. After stepping into a new role as an appeal notification processor, Julian quickly mastered the responsibilities, achieving a 100 percent approval rate on more than 4,000 submissions in May. His initiative and strong communication skills enabled him to successfully train a new associate just months after learning the process himself. Additionally, Julian played a key role in implementing a new appeal notification report, contributing to updated work instructions and helping the team realize an annual cost savings of nearly $8,000, showcasing his commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Associate of the Month – June
Savannah Tolonese
Valued for her exceptional customer service, leadership and commitment to process improvement, Savannah Tolonese was named Associate of the Month for June. In her role as an accountant II, she supports her team by offering guidance and mentorship that empowers others to succeed. Savannah leads key workloads with professionalism and approachability, creating a safe space for collaboration and learning. Her proactive approach to quality control and her ability to remain composed during high-volume periods, reflect her dedication to excellence. Additionally, she implemented a new control in the workflow management system to prevent future keying errors, enhancing clarity and accuracy in financial workflows.
Coach of the Quarter
Denise Dearing
Denise Dearing is Division 54’s Coach of the Quarter for her exceptional mentorship, operational excellence and innovative contributions to process improvement. As an accountant IV, she provides daily support and training to both new and experienced team members across multiple departments all while remaining error-free on her own complex projects. Denise’s deep understanding of financial systems and her proactive communication ensure accuracy and efficiency across departments. Her leadership in implementing several significant process improvements, ranging from database automation to enhanced reporting tools, has streamlined workflows and saved valuable time for her team and other divisions.
Process Improvement of the Quarter
Automating the Budgeted Labor Upload Process
Team members: Willie Green, Brandi Samuel
The Process Improvement of the Quarter automated a time-consuming, manual spreadsheet task into an automated process that saves time and money. Prior to the improvement, associates spent roughly 82 hours each year loading budgeted labor data into spreadsheets, converting data and matching old project codes to new ones. To streamline the process, the team worked with an outside vendor to create an automated system with a financial planning and budgeting tool. The new process takes about 40 hours, which is 51 percent more efficient. The result is faster processing, greater accuracy and notable cost savings.
