POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam recently honored three employees who received Chancellor's Awards, conferred to acknowledge consistently superior professional achievement and to encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

This year's Chancellor's Award recipients were as follows:

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service:

Payroll Examiner 2 Jessica Haggett was recognized for performing her job exceedingly well, and with an incredibly positive attitude. Haggett was honored for her ability to explain the payroll process and details to employees to ensure there is complete understanding and clear up any confusion.

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service:

Associate Professor of Geology Dr. Michael Rygel was recognized for demonstrating a genuine commitment to outreach and leadership, through his annual recruitment visits to community colleges, his role as an active contributor to the college's efforts to revise and reform the general education program, and serving as the driving force behind the creation of the college's new geographic information science (GIS) major.

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities:

Professor of Business Administration Dr. Edwin Portugal has been an active curator of scholarly efforts, consistently publishing and presenting on the topics of leadership, entrepreneurship and global management, both nationally and internationally. He has served as the co-director of two major grants from the U.S. State Department to form impactful academic partnerships between SUNY Potsdam and colleges abroad.