Rob Birkinshaw wins the 2022-23 Kevin Taylor Award

UIT leadership congratulates the six nominees for the 2022-23 Kevin Taylor Memorial Service Award:

• Rob Birkinshaw, Software Platform Services
• Brandon Gresham, University Support Services 
• Josh Grey, Software Platform Services
• Ryan Hines, Strategic Planning and Process Team
• Beth Sallay, University Campus Computer Support
• Dan Thornley, University Support Services

This year’s winner is Rob Birkinshaw, who was presented with a plaque and large check that represents a $500 honorarium.

“Wow, I’m really touched,” Birkinshaw said upon receiving the award.

“I have not known anyone in my years at the U who is more dedicated, harder working, or intelligent,” Arnie Carter, who also works in UIT Software Platform Services, wrote in his nomination letter. “He is the most friendly and qualified person I have ever worked with. Rob is an awesome team lead, keeping us on track with whatever is needed. He is a pleasure to work with, never putting you down if you ask a stupid question.”

Excerpts from the nomination letters are available on this webpage.

“To those who sent in nomination letters — thank you for taking the time to honor your outstanding colleagues,” Trevor Long, a member of the Taylor Award committee, said during an online award ceremony on September 19, 2022. Long hosted the event with fellow committee member Kariann Hibbard. They were later joined by committee members Jason Moeller, Bryan Morris, and Dustin Udy, who stood by on location near Birkinshaw’s home (all the nominees consented to award committee members appearing at their private residences).

The award, now in its eighth year, is given annually to the UIT staff member who best demonstrates the collaborative spirit and intrinsic service orientation of the late Kevin Taylor (b. 1950, d. 2014).

“Just a little bit of background about Kevin … He was UIT’s director of policy and planning for about 10 years, and was highly respected by everyone at the U, especially his UIT colleagues,” Hibbard said. “His leadership style combined kindness, clever yet gentle humor, high standards, and a very special talent for listening. Those skills really came in handy as he helped different IT groups and university leaders come together for the common good. …

“One of his favorite pieces of workplace advice says a lot about Kevin. He would often remind us, especially in the toughest situations: ‘Be nice. Be nice. Be nice.’”

The award committee considers three criteria while evaluating nominees. These include how well each nomination letter aligned with Kevin Taylor’s traits — particularly creative problem-solving, humility, empathy, compassion, kindness, and being a great listener with an open mind — as well as service excellence and commitment to UIT and the University of Utah.

After accepting the award, Birkinshaw invited committee members to tour his backyard flower and vegetable gardens, and meet his cat Lucy. After a little IT shop talk and catching up with old friends, he graciously recognized who he called “the real man of the hour,” Kevin Taylor.

“He was just the kind of dude you wanted to do good for,” Birkinshaw said.

Below are additional photos taken as Birkinshaw accepted the award:

 

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