Bataillon announces upcoming retirement

Pamela Bataillon

Pamela Bataillon, who joined UNMC in 2005, will retire this summer from her position as assistant vice chancellor of business and finance, budget and financial compliance. She also was serving as the interim director of human resources following the retirement of John Russell — she will continue in that role until she retires later this summer.

Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor of business and finance, said the search for a permanent HR leader has been deferred until later this spring.

Bataillon served as assistant dean of the UNMC College of Nursing for several years before agreeing to take over the role of assistant vice chancellor for budget and financial compliance in 2010. She joined UNMC as an administrator in the College of Nursing, where she was committed to incorporating more strategic uses of personnel and technology. She strengthened collaborative partnerships to yield organizational capacity, strategic value and efficiency for the college.

Bataillon said one of her ongoing goals at UNMC was finding ways to invest in people and systems to assure that UNMC grows even stronger. Another priority was assuring an environment that develops and strengthens the skills and competencies, especially of employees in the earlier stages of their work life.

New responsibilities As a result of Bataillon’s retirement: In addition to his current strategic planning responsibilities, Fred Salzinger will add budget development and oversight to his role. Fred started at UNMC in 2012, after spending 28 years at the Creighton University Health Sciences Office as associate vice president for health sciences. His new title will be assistant vice chancellor for planning and budget, to reflect the additional responsibilities. The responsibilities for financial compliance will be transferred to Deb Thomas, associate vice chancellor for business and finance.

Heading into retirement, her goals shift slightly. She’s looking forward to playing with her grandchildren, traveling, visiting archeological digs (especially one in Denmark from the Viking period), continuing her genealogical research and becoming fluent in sign language.

“Pam has been an integral and valued member of the business and finance team,” said Deb Thomas, associate vice chancellor for business and finance. “We will be sad to see her go, but of course we wish her well on her retirement.”

Laura Bashus, administrator of finance and human resources for the College of Public Health, called Bataillon a wonderful friend and valuable resource for UNMC.

“Her expertise and broad knowledge base has allowed her to step into several critical roles for the campus in senior administration,” Bashus said.

“Pam will be very much missed as part of the campus leadership,” Leuenberger said. “She has earned universal respect for her steady calm and judgment. Now she has the opportunity to pursue a lifelong passion and dig in the (archeological) dirt of Denmark. I wish her the very best, and may her shovel be filled with Viking things.”