Leo Chimo named May Classified Employee of the Month

The purpose of the Non-bargaining Classified Employee of the Month award is to acknowledge and recognize those who are setting the standards for excellence and innovation at Ohio University.

This recognition is Classified Senate’s way of awarding those employees who have shown outstanding individual achievement and performance of their jobs, while inspiring and supporting the achievement of others. Criteria include:

• Positive attitude and serving as a role model
• Productivity and commitment to quality
• Initiative and taking on additional responsibilities

The May 2019 recipient is Leo Chimo, support associate in Information Technology, who was nominated by Ruth Blickle.

These are Blickle's comments about Chimo:

Leo is always prompt in answering our service tickets in both the Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC offices. He works quickly, efficiently, and is pleasant to work with. He gives you the impression that he truly cares about your problem(s) and in finding a solution as soon as possible.

Leo has responded to several calls in the past 12 months for both ROTCs. Because of his expertise and patience, these issues were resolved in a professional manner. For example, we had a computer that was acting up in our office. He didn’t try a quick fix and walk away, rather he stayed until he knew the issue was fixed and then also followed up with me daily to ensure it was still working. He is always quick to assist, arriving to help us out within an hour of the service ticket being issued.

I can't praise Leo enough! He always listens to everyone when they're having an issue and then quietly goes about fixing the problem. I believe he truly cares about the work he does and the people he helps daily. He always has a positive attitude and communicates with us regularly to keep us up-to-speed on fixes.

These are Chimo’s answers to some get-to-know-you questions:

How surprised were you to win the Employee of the Month award?

Very. Compared to some of the issues that I am assigned to, Ruth Blickle’s needs were not extra-ordinary (from my perspective). She’s such a pleasant person that it’s a joy to serve her.

What is your job title and how long have you worked it?

My current assignment is desktop support, which I’ve been doing for about a year and a half. I’ve worked full time for OIT for more than 20 years and as a student employee for a few years before that.

What are the most enjoyable things about your job?

I get a lot of face-to-face contact with the people I help and learn a lot about them as I wait for the computers to do their thing. I’m meeting people from all over the world, so I get perspectives that you can’t get from the news or other sources. I also do a lot of walking to get to my support areas (it’s faster), so I get to enjoy the natural beauty of our campus that others miss. The most interesting would be having access to areas that most do not. Most notably would be the bell tower in Cutler Hall. The old control systems for the bells are still up there (picture stuff that you would see in Dr. Frankenstein’s lab), right next to the modern touch screen interface synced by atomic clock. Even cooler would be the “John Smith was here” graffiti from before I was born – super cool.

What is your hometown and where do you live now?

Rocky River, which is a suburb of Cleveland. I now live in Athens. My housing requirement at the time was a garage, more than one bathroom, cellular coverage and high-speed internet (10Mb, now 100Mb).

What are your long-term goals?

To work for my 7-year-old son. He hopes to purchase the Larry’s Dawg House dynasty someday. He is going to put me on the hot dog production line, but I might be able to help with the computers if his mom can’t figure them out. I very much look forward to it.

What was the last good book you read?

“The Martian” by Andy Weir. A great story about what humans are capable of in extreme situations. If you haven’t read it, you should know that most of the tech in the book (and movie) is well within our capabilities, if we wanted to spend the money (like a tiny portion of our war budget).

If you weren’t in your present job, you would be working as a ______?

The owner of a doggie daycare. I just can’t imagine a downside. I’d also want to partner with one of our local breweries to have human social activity nights. I think the world is a better place with more loved dogs in it.

Where is your favorite vacation destination?

The last few vacations I’ve done have been at all-inclusive Mexican resorts. Massive interconnected pools, all you can eat and Mexican beer.

What are your hobbies?

I’m an avid watcher of sci-fi movies. My tops are the Alien and Terminator franchises, as well as a lot of the older stuff. It’s interesting to see how people thought the future would be.

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

To do my life over again, I would think about pursuing life as a chef, but I’m still unsure if I would have the total commitment required to open my own restaurant. RIP Anthony Bourdain, the world was better with you in it.

What are your favorite TV shows?

"Star Trek" (of course), "Big Bang Theory," "The Twilight Zone," "The Outer Limits."

Who are your favorite musicians?

Devo and Blondie.

What is the next big event you can't wait for?

The establishment of a lunar base – one that civilians could visit or work at, not just a token lab. A loftier one would be the understanding of gravity. Understanding enough to possibly be able to manipulate it. Hopefully we would use such knowledge to expand our reach to other worlds.

Who are your favorite celebrities?

Actor Daniel Craig (James Bond). I think he nails the role and while I love the classic Bonds, I think Craig as a broken man with few gadgets is much more interesting. I’d also like to be able to fight like him. I also like Jason Momoa (Aquaman). I really liked him from the TV series “Stargate: Atlantis,” where he played Ronin, a lone fighter hell-bent on revenge for the decimation of his people from the evil Wraith.

What is your dream car/truck/SUV?

A fully autonomous car of any brand. We need to get humans out from behind the wheel – not only for safety, but efficiency. Actually- an autonomous RV powered by electric and fueled by solar. I would love to have my bedroom pick me up from work.

What is your favorite saying or quote?

“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” – Mark Twain