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Martin Earns Chancellor’s Award for ASU Work

February 21, 2013

Michael Martin, director of graphics in Angelo State University’s Office of Communications and Marketing, has been named the third recipient of the Chancellor’s Colonel Rowan Award for Excellence in Execution.

The Rowan Award recognizes a staff member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in carrying out a major project during the last academic year, and includes a $500 honorarium.  The recipient is selected by Chancellor Kent Hance of the Texas Tech University System from campus nominees for the award.  This year three ASU individuals were nominated for the honor.

In his role as the university’s graphics director, Martin has been the most important, though largely behind-the-scenes, shaper of the university’s graphic image for the last 35 years, designing everything from the university’s popular logo to Angelo State University Magazine.

Martin was nominated for his ongoing dedication in getting the magazine out on deadline, even when final materials are late to him.  His dedication was best illustrated by his handling of the spring 2013 issue of Angelo State University Magazine.  During the fall of 2012 when that issue was in progress, the office lost about three weeks of normal production time due to poor planning and coordination on assignments/photos and because the timing of the announcement of the new president coming well after the deadline.

Martin made up the lost time, working evenings and weekends and even coming in when he was sick to finalize the magazine.  Due to his diligence and commitment, he was able to send the magazine to the printer before the holiday break.  He then adjusted the travel schedule for a planned holiday trip so he could be in San Angelo to review the final press proofs from the Austin printer during the break.  As a result of his efforts, the magazine, like all previous issues, came out on time.

Martin has been on the ASU staff since 1977.  He is the second ASU employee to receive both the Rowan Award and the President’s Award for Staff Excellence, which he has won twice.

Candidates for ASU’s Rowan Award are nominated on the basis that they demonstrate the ability to 1) accomplish an objective quickly and efficiently with minimal oversight; 2) accept clearly communicated assignments with minimal instructions; 3) ask the right questions first, so they can seek precise answers; 4) prepare plans with goals, milestones and deadlines; 5) ask for resources or help when needed; 6) report back and show their work; and 7) under-promise and over-deliver.