My husband rocks

Ethan was nominated for an award through the UW.....by the directer of all of engineering. The award was for someone who embodies the UW's values of integrity, diversity, excellence, collaboration, innovation and respect. He did not win the award, but just imagine that YOUR husband had this letter written by his boss. Could I be more proud???


It is my distinct pleasure to nominate Mr. Ethan Amerson for the David B. Thorud Leadership award. He currently serves as the supervisor at Harborview Medical Center's Department of Facilities and Engineering in the Lock Shop. While many in my department are exemplary employees, I believe Mr. Amerson fully embodies Harborview's mission and is a wonderful hospital ambassador to the general public.

Late last year, our Lock Shop went through a period of wrenching staff upheaval. Through it all, Mr. Amerson remained above the fray in both temperament and work product. Given the stressful situation, Mr. Amerson continued to perform in his typical calm and courteous manner and when called upon to step up to a leadership role, assumed new responsibilities in our time of turbulence like a seasoned professional. While I am unable to flesh out many details of this time period, please know that Mr. Amerson's efforts were not trivial in the least. He was able to remain mindful in the face of adversity.

Mr. Amerson typifies the kind of employee who inspires others around him. He unofficially serves as a mentor to other African-American employees in our department, often younger people than he who are beginning to carve out their careers based, in part, on his advice. He is wise beyond his years. As a Viet Nam era veteran and the father of a soldier who is currently serving his third mission as a helicopter pilot in Iraq, I'd follow Mr. Amerson up any hill. My belief in his skill set and in his intrinsic compassion are unqualified. He is truly a gifted locksmith who possesses a heart of gold. Those who work above and below him in the chain of command agree.

Like many other applicants who I suspect have been nominated for this award, Mr. Amerson is an employee who comes early and stays late, if the need be. He treats each request and requester with the same amount of respect-whether it is a clerical worker who locks her keys inside her desk or a King County medical examiner with a malfunctioning lock in the morgue or a psychiatric patient who has his clothes locked inside a closet. He accepts job assignments cheerfully and volunteers to help other shops within our department. Because of the nature of his work, he often interacts with those in our Door Shop, Machine Shop, Carpentry Shop, etc. He successfully collaborates and provides solutions for complex problems without hubris or guile. Mr. Amerson is like a breath of fresh air.

QUOTES FROM CLIENTS AT THE HOSPITAL HE HAS HELPED. EVERYONE LOVES HIM AND THEY'LL GIVE QUOTES IF WE CALL.

In closing, I'd like to reiterate how important Mr. Amerson is to the smooth functioning of our department, in particular, and to the hospital, in general. He displays the highest level of ethical performance, he is a natural leader who commands the respect of others, and he is trusted to operate at top levels of hospital security. I'm a luck director to have him in my department.

Sincerely,

Mark Olson
Administrative Director
Facilities and Engineering Services