Kirk Grauf newest Gold U recipient

Innovative.

An invaluable asset to UNMC.

The essence of excellence.

These are just a few of the descriptions used by colleagues of Kirk Grauf, a workstation specialist III in the UNMC Department of Pediatrics and the Child Health Research Institute and the latest recipient of the Gold U, in their letters on nomination.

Grauf, who has worked for UNMC for 37 years, is the sole provider of workstation support for more than 300 people. His colleagues boast of his technology skills and knowledge and how it enables him to keep things running smoothly for faculty and staff whose work spans across several campuses.

Said one nominee: “He is incredibly proficient in myriad IT systems, which helps us to successfully collaborate across UNMC, Nebraska Medicine and Children’s Hospital IT systems and platforms.”

The award came as a surprise to Grauf, who gives credit to his colleagues and co-workers.

“It is really a reflection of how we all rely on each other and work together every day committed to our mission,” he said.

Grauf said he feels lucky to work in such a dynamic department, which has seen tremendous growth in the past nine years, and he is inspired “just to be a part of it.”

Nominees described Grauf as a healer, a caretaker and empathetic, a man who can turn what may start out as a tense situation into a lighthearted moment.

He stays on the job until a problem is solved, and while able to make tough decisions, Grauf is described as someone who is willing to listen to new ideas.

Having timely and uninterrupted workflow has been paramount to the department as they continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grauf has helped the department function during the pandemic by reshaping workstations and helping individuals successfully work-from-home. He was instrumental in guiding the department through an upgrade of its shared drive console, and he has helped UNMC researchers who work off-site within another institution’s physical space.

While Grauf credits the resiliency of the staff and physicians, who he said have adapted well to the challenges they’ve faced during the pandemic, his nominees repeatedly cited his skill, patience and finesse in helping the department navigate its challenges.

“Without Kirk working to ensure our department had the technology and remote access needed, we wouldn’t have been able to continue advancing our critical mission,” one nominee said.

An administrator highlighted how Grauf helped the division get its faxes via email so they would not have to be printed. He also made it possible to send patient reports to medical records via email, rather than faxing, which is especially helpful for individuals working from home during the pandemic, they noted.

23 comments

  1. Jayesh Thakker says:

    Congratulations Kirk. Kirk has always been helpful and fully deserves this award.

  2. Lisa Runco says:

    Congratulations Kirk! So well deserved. You provide critically important services to the Department of Pediatrics and CHRI. The heartbeat of these two entities depends on you!

  3. Gabriel Hansen says:

    Congratulations Kirk! Thank you for all that you do.

  4. Linda Johnson says:

    Congrats Kirk
    Happy to see all your work Is being recognized.

  5. Dana S'aulis says:

    Congrats, Kirk! You deserve it.

  6. Angie Adler says:

    Well-deserved! Congratulations, Kirk!

  7. Jackie Ostronic says:

    Congrats Kirk!

  8. Patty Davis says:

    This is well deserved! Kirk has been a huge part of my success in working from home during the pandemic. I appreciate his help and guidance with IT issues and I also appreciate the wonderful conversations we have about everyday things too. He's just a great guy!

  9. Pam Welch says:

    Well deserved. Congratulations Kirk!

  10. Carla Pospisal says:

    Congratulations Kirk! Well deserved award and recognition for what you have and will continue to contribute to Pediatrics.

  11. Marcela Williams says:

    Congratulations!

  12. Bredehoft says:

    Great work, Kirk!!

  13. Jessie Coyer says:

    Congrats Kirk, job well done!!

  14. Amy Nelson says:

    Congratulations Kirk!

  15. Tom O’Connor says:

    Kirk has been doing a great job for more than three decades. So happy to see him get this recognition. He’s a class act! Way to go, Kirk!

  16. Deb Mostek says:

    Congratulations Kirk! Well deserved.

  17. Peter Coccia says:

    Well deserved and overdue recognition of an outstanding UNMC employee.

    37 years ago the Pediatric Hematology /Oncology and BMT team arrived at Nebraska. Kirk was a nurse on the Oncology Hematology Special Care Unit who greatly assisted in our acceptance in developing transplant in children. We soon hired him as our Transplant Nurse Coordinator. Kirk was invaluable to the team in many roles. He expertly assisted in bone marrow harvests for about 30 years. While with our team, he obtained both a Bachelor and Masters degree at UNO and became an expert in Information technology, mostly self started and self taught. He became the IT person for the UNMC Pediatric faculty and staff, then expanded to cover City Match, Children's Hospital, and CHRI. Several years ago he had to give up his role with Pediatric Hematology /Oncology as his IT role became overwhelming. He works extremely hard, is available nights and weekends for emergencies, and is an all around nice guy.

    Thank you Kirk.

  18. Amy Lacroix says:

    Congratulations Kirk. You have been such a big help to so many people over so many years. Well deserved.

  19. Tom Rouse says:

    Nice job, Kirk!

  20. Aileen Warren says:

    Congratulations!

  21. dmcquade says:

    37 years…. Congratulations! I miss conversations in the hall

    Dan McQuade

  22. Linda Johnson says:

    Congrats Kirk
    Happy to see all your work Is being recognized.

  23. Patti Jones says:

    Congratulations Kirk!!

Comments are closed.