NYCHA Now

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NYCHA Now
November 2016 

Recognizing Customer Service Excellence

Michael Corwin
group sitting with certificates
Standing between Chair Olatoye and GM Kelly are, from left: Antonia Zambrano, Harriet Granderson, D’Andra Van Heusen, Nickcole Rivera, Modestine Rogers, Nicole Johnson, Dhia Barnes, Melissa Casey, and Himaxu Parikh. Not in photo is Cynthia Miller. Seated in front with Mr. Robinson are Board Members Beatrice Byrd and Willie Mae Lewis.

Great customer service is the foundation of the Housing Authority’s commitment to safe, clean and connected communities. Employees at all levels of NYCHA were involved in our 2016 Customer Service Week celebration, from celebratory lunches to the senior leadership team shadowing development staff to better understand their workloads.

Congratulations to the 2016 Service Champion Award Winner Maurice Robinson, Executive Agency Counsel in the Department of Equal Opportunity, and to all of our runners- up and nominees who were honored by Chair & CEO Shola Olatoye and General Manager Michael Kelly in the Executive Board Room on October 28. “We received so many noteworthy nominations that we decided to also recognize 10 runners-up,” said Director of Employee Engagement Yvette Andino.

In presenting Mr. Robinson with a certificate of excellence, Chair Olatoye cited his “tireless efforts to ensure that all employees and residents can work and live in a discrimination-free environment.” Mr. Robinson coordinated and helped deliver agency-wide training regarding mandates from the Mayor’s Office that protect the right of every New Yorker to use City single-sex facilities consistent with their gender identity.

“Right now, we have a renewed level of commitment to engage with employees,” the Chair said, ”with our new Employee Engagement Director Yvette Andino, our revamped monthly employee newsletter, and our sense of what it means to collectively implement our NextGen agenda.” Emphasizing that customer service applies to NYCHA’s external as well as internal customers, Chair Olatoye asked staff to “remember that every action has a reaction and you have the power to set the tone.”

In accepting the honor, Mr. Robinson said he shared the award with his DEO team and thanked them for their support: “I would not have accomplished anything in my seven months here without their leadership and followership.”

Congratulating the 10 runners-up, General Manager Michael Kelly remarked, “Customer service isn’t an individual act; it’s a habit, something you do every day. The 10 outstanding employees identified out of 11,000 deserve our praise, along with the winner. We thank you all for your exceptional work.”