July employees honored

Bruce A. Johanning
Unclassified employee of the month

Started at KU: Bruce Johanning joined KU in 1989 as a program assistant in what then was experimental and applied ecology.

Current title: Johanning is the operations manager for the KU Field Station and Ecological Reserves, administered by the Kansas Biological Survey.

What that means: The field station, which consists of 1,800 acres of land and facilities near Lawrence, is used for environmental research and teaching. Johanning maintains the physical plant and has stewardship responsibilities for the natural resources at the site.

Notable: Johanning’s job requires him to be a jack-of-all-trades, and it seems he has mastered all of them. He is an extremely talented craftsman — carpenter, mechanic, welder and horticulturist. His colleagues value these diverse skills, but they especially appreciate his open, thoughtful and considerate demeanor, his positive attitude and his common sense.

Recent feats: Johanning has fabricated mobile water spray units that can be mounted on tractors and all-terrain vehicles so researchers can conduct controlled burns safely and effectively. He also has lent his support and advice to a proposal to the National Science Foundation for construction of a $750,000 multipurpose building for the field station.

Janet K. Girnius
Classified employee of the month

Started at KU: Jan Girnius began working for student housing in 1982 as a custodial worker.

Current title: She is a senior custodial supervisor.

What that means: With the support of three custodial specialists and two students, she provides custodial services for 10 scholarship halls housing 500 students. Girnius also works closely with two general maintenance and repair technicians assigned to the halls, ensuring that projects are completed.

Notable: Girnius and her staff are responsible for training scholarship hall residents in proper cleaning procedures and advising them on what products to use or not use.
Each month she thoroughly inspects the halls with the complex director of the scholarship halls.

Recent feat: During the summer months, Girnius and her staff “deep clean” the scholarship halls. Last summer was a special challenge because three of the halls were slated for heavy construction and remodeling. She coordinated additional staffing and worked around various contractors who were racing to meet their target dates for completion. She and her staff worked up until the day of opening, and all of the halls were clean and ready when the students arrived.