IT Coordinator Makes a Difference at PPG Industries and Earns AMA’s Innovation Award

Jerrilynne A. Jankowski, an IT coordinator at PPG Industries, Inc., in Pittsburgh, Pa., received American Management Association’s (AMA) 2006 Innovation Award for Administrative Professionals. Jankowski was on hand during the 14th Annual Administrative Professionals Conference in Orlando, Fla., to receive a plaque recognizing her contributions to her organization. She also received a free trip to the conference compliments of AMA.

AMA’s Innovation Award for Administrative Professionals celebrates outstanding examples of creative problem solving and innovation in administrative support. The primary purpose of the award, now in its eighth year, is to serve as an inspiration to administrative professionals as they advance in their professional development and seek new knowledge and skills.

Jankowski’s innovation, “Making a Difference–Administratively,” represents a unique response to a difficult and complex problem she experienced in her job. As the primary contact and support person for 180-plus customers (IT associates at PPG’s corporate offices), Jankowski was faced with a continuous flow of administrative requests, including travel and meeting details, accounting questions, maintenance issues and scheduling various business needs outside of her department.

To service her customers effectively and perform her considerable duties in the most efficient means possible, Jankowski developed self-service reference guide/building services tools for them to utilize in order to meet their needs. In doing so, she not only overcame obstacles, she realized extensive time and efficiency cost savings for her company. These improvements also enabled Jankowski to perform further cost analyses, ultimately saving PPG a significant amount of money.

“The result for PPG has been a better use of time for everyone in the IT group, a better work environment and a more standardized way to manage administrative work requests,” said Jankowski in accepting the award.

“It isn’t easy to step forward and take the initiative to make a change, but it is worth it. You really can ‘Make a Difference’ for yourself, and for those around you where you work,” Jankowski said.

The application deadline for AMA’s 2007 Innovation Award is July 20, 2007. Entries will be judged on the basis of documented positive results related to at least one of the following: cost savings, efficiency, productivity, problem solving, problem prevention, employee morale, accuracy and integrity of operations, customer satisfaction, organizational effectiveness and organizational communication.

To be eligible for the award, the innovation must have been developed and implemented by administrative professionals and must provide tangible, sustainable and replicable examples of excellence that can assist others facing similar work and productivity issues. The innovation also must have been implemented for at least six months prior to the application deadline.

About PPG

PPG Industries is a leading diversified manufacturer that supplies products and services around the world. The company makes protective and decorative coatings, adhesives, sealants, metal pretreatment products, flat glass, fabricated glass products, continuous-strand fiber glass products, and chlor-alkali and specialty chemicals—including photochromic ophthalmic lenses, optical materials, amorphous precipitated silicas and fine chemicals. In addition, PPG provides insurance claims-processing services.

With headquarters in Pittsburgh, PPG has 110 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in more than 20 countries.

About AMA

American Management Association is a world leader in professional development and performance-based learning solutions. AMA provides individuals and organizations worldwide with the knowledge, skills and tools to achieve performance excellence, adapt to changing realities and prosper in a complex and competitive world. Each year, thousands of customers learn new skills and behaviors, gain more confidence, advance their careers and contribute to the success of their organizations. AMA offers a range of unique seminars, workshops, conferences, customized corporate programs, online learning, newsletters, journals and AMA books. AMA has earned its trusted reputation as a successful partner in worldwide professional education and development, by improving the immediate performance and long-term results for both individuals and organizations. For more information, visit http://www.amanet.org/