Pizza Day Award

At CPM Healthgrades, we have a monthly Pizza Day. Originally the idea was to honor employee birthdays and work anniversaries, and instead of buying each person lunch on multiple days, leadership bought everyone lunch, specifically pizza, once a month.

Before the pizza would arrive, someone would read a list of employee birthdays and anniversaries. Eventually, leadership realized that the lists were too long and dropped specific recognition. However, they still announce new employees, company news, and honor an employee of the month. Nominations are requested for employee of the month, called the Pizza Day Award, and the nominations, sometimes amusing, are read aloud. The winner receives the Golden Pizza Slice (pictured above).

This month, I was nominated. Twice! Before I get to their nominations, I need to explain a certain recurring theme.

My coworkers, Andrew and Brian, dressed as a horse and stead for Halloween. The company was having a costume contest. Andrew wore a chain mail tunic and a shield with a skull on it (both self made!). Brian wore a horse head mask, and he hefted Andrew on his back for the contest pictures. The pictures were then sent out for everyone to vote for the best costume. (Of course, I voted for them.) The horse head mask ended up in Brian's cubicle, where it still remains.

Inspired by Brian's horse head, I brought in my own horse head, a marble book end. So apparently the Analytics Team's mascot is a horse.

So with that explained, here are their nominations. First, Brian's:

I’d like to nominate Chris Swenson for a pizza day award this month for his hard work on the PDC configuration workbook. He really didn’t horse around when it came to bringing this old mare up to date, he saddled right up and did what needed to be done. Now we have a true thoroughbred of a workbook on our hands, allowing us to configure markets much more rapidly and accurately than ever before. We all really appreciate the hard work he’s put into this project and feel he deserves some recognition for his efforts.

And here's Andrew's:

I would like to nominate Chris Swenson for the pizza day award. Even though he has been yoked down by various research requests, he’s managed to plow through the workbook to make it dramatically more useful. The old version can now be put out to pasture while the improved version really gallops along like the true stallion it is. His efforts have reduced the PDC analysts work load by several hours per request. He’s really a horse of a different color.

At Pizza Day, the reader was instructed to take careful note of the theme. I was selected, and I wonder if it was mostly because of the amusing nominations. At any rate, I received the Golden Slice Award:

It reads:

As a token of our appreciation, please accept this certificate for your outstanding performance and contribution. Your hard work and dedication to this company makes you a ambassador of what CPM stands for. Not only does your attitude make a positive impact on your peers, but it sets the tone for a pleasant and productive work place. Keep up the good work!

Along with the Golden Slice came a $50 gift card!

I appreciate the recognition, especially since the work out team does is quite well hidden, in databases and used in software. Thanks Andrew and Brian!