After 46 years of service to UNMC, John Ingraham has grown into a seasoned public safety professional who knows all the inner workings of the med center.
Which is not exactly what Ingraham mapped out with his college degree in vocal music education.
“As you can see, I got right into my field of study,” Ingraham quipped.
Yet the person who still can take the stage and hold a tune is the same one who helped elevate campus safety and security as the times and the med center have evolved.
His coworkers and colleagues describe Ingraham as a caring leader who mentors new recruits and promotes a standard of professional excellence in public safety at UNMC. They say he brings kindness and respect to tense situations yet can step in as the authority if necessary.
Empathy. Honesty. Resilience. Courage.
Those are qualities that people use to describe Ingraham – and that earned him a UNMC Gold U Award for August. Ingraham, who works as a security supervisor in the UNMC Public Safety Office, was recognized last Thursday at the University of Nebraska Board of Regents meeting.
Ingraham said he’s “absolutely flabbergasted” and “extremely surprised” but very happy about the award.
In her nomination letter, Theresa Woodrum, director of acute care specialty with Nebraska Medicine, described “the positive impact John Ingraham has had on all of us.”
Woodrum wrote, “His friendly nature and ability to connect with everyone he meets has made him a familiar face to many. John’s vast experience with change and his willingness to help has been invaluable.”
Ingraham acknowledges he’s “a people person.” The people he meets and works with – a lot of “dynamic” people and often “shakers and movers,” as he calls them – are one of the reasons he’s stayed so long at UNMC.
He appreciates interacting with them every day.
“It definitely keeps it interesting,” he said.
Ingraham, who started out as a security officer before being promoted to sergeant, has stories to tell.
Take the medical helicopter crash on campus in 1988, when Ingraham had just left his shift and returned after an urgent page – beating the fire department to the scene. Or the time Richard Simmons brought his “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” tour to UNMC – and called up Ingraham to the stage to help sing the oldies.
“Stuff like this is what kept me here, because every day could be different,” Ingraham said.
Nominator Steve Williamson, director of support services for the public safety office, said it’s difficult to encapsulate the value Ingraham brings to the department, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.
Williamson wrote: “He literally has seen it all, done it all and is the go-to person on any issue involving the security of the campus. … I know of no one more deserving of this recognition. I’m honored and humbled to have had the privilege of working alongside John Ingraham.”
There is not a more deserving person on campus!
I met John over 31 years ago when I started at UNMC. His smiles and friendliness made me feel right at home from the start. He would stop by my office on his “rounds” and always brightened up the room with his smile and wonderful laugh. Throughout the years he has helped me with some security issues I had in my private life and made sure I knew I was safe on campus. He also taught self defense courses that many people took and learned great techniques from. Just an all around wonderful person! This Gold U award is long past due and so well deserved! Congratulations John!
John has the best stories and knows all the history of this place. Thank you, sir, for all your work with the Decon team & Public Safety over the years. Congratulations on your recognition.
Congratulations John! Always a pleasure to talk with you over the years. Very well deserved.
Congratulations!!!
John, Congratulations. You are most deserving of this award. Your service is appreciated by the UNMC community.
Congratulations, John, on this acknowledgement of your kindness and professionalism.
I don’t even have to see him to know he’s in a room because his voice and laugh are instantly recognizable. John is one of those people who can do his job at the highest level while making everyone around him smile at his quirky jokes. Congratulations, John! This is so very well-deserved.
Congratulations, John!
John, the king of dad jokes, a servant of God and a beautiful voice. We are all blessed to know you.
Congrats, John, and thank you for always being such a great guy. It was an honor to work you, buddy.
This is such a well-deserved honor. Dedicated and absolutely wonderful to work with.
Congratulations, John! You are very well deserved for this award.
Congratulations John! Such a well-deserved recognition!
The best!!! You are a ray of sunshine on this campus, John!
John, Congrats on this most deserving recognition. I also thank you for all the assistance you provided me during my tenure at UNMC. You were always one that I could count on to “jump In” regardless of whether it was a security matter or not. You knew in those early years what is was going to take to make UNMC what it is today. And you did it without hesitation.
Again congrats.
Keith
UNMC is a better place because of you, John. Congratulations on the well-deserved recognition!
Congratulations John!!! Can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award!!
John is such an amazing friend and has been priceless to work with over all his years at UNMC!
He also loves his cars!
Just ask him about them 🙂
John always has a joke to tell!
God Bless You and Congratulations on receiving the
Golden U Award!!!!
Congratulations John. So well deserved.
John was one of the first people I had the opportunity to meet during orientation 15 years ago at UNO. John has always embodied this unique ability to show empathy and always be concerned about the human being and not just about their output. John, I know that you don’t measure your achievements from awards you receive. John for you it’s doing something that you appreciate and something you believe is worthwhile and makes a difference. Congratulations on receiving an award you deserve.
Congratulations John – you deserve it! You have always been great to work with and have always been available for any type of question we have had. And you do a mean ‘pink glove dance’!! That was a long time ago, and you were such a good sport to join in.
Congratulations!
John,
OMG. The time we have shared here at UNMC has definitely had it’s moments. Good, bad, happy and sad. Together we have shared 90 years of service in Security and public Safety… Guess we both found our calling early in our lives. We have not only shared our work experiences but we have shared fond memories of our kids and now their kids. What a well deserved honor, my friend. I still say you always have the Best jokes.
Love you!
love you!
John’s calming, caring concern for everyone he encounters touches more lives than he could ever imagine.
Congratulations on this long overdue award John!!
Congratulations. John will deserved
Congratulations John! So deserved. 🙂
Truly no-one more deserving of this recognition than John. He has decades of bringing a friendly smile, professional confidence, and a sense of ease to staff and visitors alike. Truly a lovely friend.
John, Congratulations and Best wishes!
Congratulations, John! Sometimes we end up on a completely different journey than what we’d planned. You brought your voice to UNMC and used it in ways that your friends and colleagues will always remember…not necessarily how you thought but memorable just the same! It’s always been a pleasure working with you and just running into you as our paths crossed on campus.
Hey John,
What starts with an “e” and ends with an “e” and has one letter?
Congratulations. We appreciate your help and are always happy to run into you.
Answer: “Envelope”
John this is such a well-deserved recognition of your contributions to all of us at UNMC. You make this a better place. Congratulations!!!
John has been a great friend who can always make me laugh with his jokes. I’ve sang next to him in choir at church and he helps me stay in tune. Congratulations!!
Congratulations John!
This recognition is long overdue and so richly deserved.
This morning at 12:15 am, God called home, my beloved husband, John Edwin Ingraham. I wanted you to know, how important everyone at UNMC was to him. He always stood his ground to put your safety first. He never abused or used sick leave…not even when I was ill and asked him to stay home with me…all of you came first. Sincere, loving, caring dependable are words that fall flat of describing how important all of you were to him. Teresa
I am so very sorry Teresa. He was a wonderful person that will be missed greatly. My heartful and sincere condolences.