Change, Gardening, and Vermiculture: A Conversation with Mara Hilliar, Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Finance

Mara Hilliar joined the UVAFinance team on March 5.  Now, with a couple of weeks under her belt, she sat down to talk with our blog reporter to chat about how she’s finding life in UVAFinance so far.  Hilliar had a lot of interesting insights on both her work environment and her little piece of the forest in Goochland.

Why were you attracted to this position in UVAFinance?

I really love support work, being a part of a team, and making things more efficient.  I have eleven years of experience in higher education, so when I saw the opening, I knew my skill set would match what was required.  Being a seasoned state employee, I knew that there would be a panel interview, but I was surprised that Melody was on the panel.  Usually, you don’t get to meet with the executive until later on. That showed me that UVAFinance truly was a team environment and a good fit for me.  And I wasn’t wrong – everyone has been so welcoming, and I get the feeling from those I work with that we’re all in this together.

Change in Surplus Property Operations

As of Monday, March 19, Surplus Property operations have transitioned from Procurement & Supplier Diversity Services (PSDS) to Facilities Management.

Why did this change happen?
Facilities Management was already involved in picking up and transferring surplus property and had an interest in enhancing both the surplus business operations and the sustainability efforts of the program. Both PSDS and Facilities Management have been working hard to make the transition as seamless as possible for users.

What is the new process?
To begin the surplus process, visit the Facilities Management Customer Portal - the same place FM work orders are entered! Submit a request for surplus and a brief description of your item(s). A surplus representative will contact you to finalize your request.

The public will now be able to easily browse and purchase University surplus property online at the new UVA ReUSE storefront!

For now, if your items are IT equipment, you will be routed to the Procurement & Supplier Diversity Services website in order to comply with electronic data disposal requirements.

Who should I call if I have questions?
Please call the Facilities Management Surplus Manager at (434) 243-1468, email reuse@virginia.edu, or visit the new UVA ReUSE STORE website.

Finance Matters: Common Manager Challenges

Welcome to the first podcast in our series!

Finance Matters is a production of UVAFinance, hosted by Brandi Van Ormer and Patty Marbury.  The goal of Finance Matters is to provide the finance community at UVA with news, helpful info, direction to resources, interviews, and more.

Common Manager Challenges

In today's episode, Patty and Brandi talk about common challenges that face managers everywhere.  Don't suffer in silence with questions, worries, and frustrations:  there are resources close by to help, and you're not alone!



Mentioned in this pod:

The Center for Leadership Excellence
UVAFinance Book Club
Finance Outreach & Compliance Training

Got an idea for a podcast or know someone who’s doing good work out there on the operational side of things at UVA?  Let us know!  Email Brandi or Patty or tweet us at @UVA_Finance 

UVAFinance: Check out "Analytics for Finance Professionals" this spring!

In partnership with the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, UVAFinance is offering this 4-day course developed through Cornerstone Program to provide an opportunity to learn how to use data to advise and influence your stakeholders. These skills will be particularly useful as we begin to review our current business processes in preparation for Finance Transformation.

In addition to the course this spring, UVAFinance is also planning on offering a fall course.

UVAFinance: It’s time to get cooking!

We’re excited about the 2nd Annual UVAFinance Potluck Event scheduled for March 23. 

Join us at 11 am in the Carruthers Foyer Area for food and fun.

11:00am: Potluck and Chili tasting begins

12:00pm: Finance Strategic Transformation Panel Discussion


Click here to sign up for the Chili Cookoff (and get a look at the competition so far), and to sign up to bring a potluck dish, and see what everyone else is bringing! 

Finance Strategic Transformation Panel Discussion planned at UVAFinance Potluck Event

Grab a bowl of chili and join us at 12pm in Carr-1 and 2 for a panel discussion featuring UVAFinance Leadership. Panel members will discuss what we know so far about Finance Strategic Transformation, and they’d like to address your questions, as well!


UVAFinance team members are invited to share questions and thoughts regarding Finance Strategic Transformation for our panelists to tackle. Anonymous questions and comments are absolutely OK!

Please consider sharing your thoughts and questions by March 20 via the online suggestion box or in the purple suggestion box in the Carruthers foyer. All questions and comments are anonymous unless you specifically direct otherwise in your submission.

Have you signed up for a potluck dish yet?  Need to enter the Chili Cookoff?

  Click here for more info on the event and for the link to sign up!  

From “Controller” to “Financial Reporting & Operations”

Since coming to UVAFinance in June of 2017, Assistant Vice President for Financial Operations Jerry Burke has tackled many projects, one of which has been the organization and alignment of functions within his area to more effectively handle changes coming to UVAFinance.

The role of AVP for Financial Operations is itself a departure from the previous role of Controller, and the newly revised structure of Burke’s area of Financial Operations is now a more clear reflection of the priorities behind the role.

In the new organizational structure, the former “Controller” area will now be called “Financial Reporting & Operations.” Management of the new unit will be shared between Thomas Schneeberger, Director of Financial Reporting, and Bill Define, Director of Financial Operations.

As AVP of Financial Operations, Burke also has oversight over Procurement & Supplier Diversity Services and Payroll Services.

New websites are in progress for Financial Reporting and Operations, Procurement & Supplier Diversity Services, and Payroll Services.

"Lean Lite" -- Registration is open for the Lean Fluency Workshop

Lean Fluency 

April 11th, from 1:30-4:30

Carruthers Hall Conference Rooms 1&2

Many people in UVAFinance and across Grounds have completed the Lean Certification program. If you don't understand the concepts of Lean or know the terminology, it may seem like they are speaking a different language. 

 If you feel like the intent of process improvement initiatives is being lost in translation, then register for Lean Fluency! This is a 3-hour workshop (with some pre-work) designed to familiarize learners with the basics of Lean principles, vocabulary, and tools. 

Register HERE by March 30th, 2018. 

Note: This is a pilot session open to UVAFinance. Additional sessions will be added soon and open to anyone on Grounds. If you're especially interested in attending the April 11 session and you're not in UVAFinance, please contact Patty Marbury.

ZOOM to your next meeting

Mike Hayton, LSP for UVAFinance, demonstrates
the ease of setting up a Zoom meeting in Carr-1.

Booking meeting rooms. Finding parking. Making time in schedules for travel. Juggling availability. 

Traditional meetings can be a drain on time and resources.

Thankfully, we now have a new tool to facilitate collaboration (in addition to Skype for Business): Zoom.

UVAFinance is currently piloting Zoom Video Conferencing software. Although not enough individual Zoom licenses are currently available for everyone, some users within Finance are currently trying out the software, and anyone can go into Carr-1 and Carr-2 to use Zoom.

Zoom can be used to hold meetings with remote colleagues, as well as colleagues across Grounds. According to Finance LSPs, the software is thoughtfully-designed and user-friendly, and use is growing quickly at UVA.

To use Zoom in Carr-1 and 2, the meeting host can use the computer and camera equipment in the conference room. You need only know the email addresses of those you’d like to invite to the meeting. Invitees don’t have to be current Zoom users to join the meeting. Finance LSPs are installing laminated instructions in the meeting room so you can quickly and easily set up your Zoom meeting.

Interested in using Zoom? Want to know more? Contact Mike Hayton or Linda Estepp.

Seminar Schedule for Travel & Expense Expo

Have you pre-registered for the 2018 Travel & Expense Expo?  Pre-registrants receive DOUBLE ENTRIES for a plethora of fantastic prizes.

Pre-register here!

The Travel & Expense Team in Procurement is also pleased to announce this year's seminar schedule.  No special sign up is needed for the sessions below -- just register for the Expo and come out and visit with our vendors, get some great info and giveaways, network, and expand your knowledge as a traveler/travel planner.

We look forward to seeing you in the Newcomb Hall Ballroom on March 27, from 10am - 2pm!

Seminar Schedule

Commonwealth Room and Kaleidoscope Room

10:00 am UBI Travel & Expense App

10:00 am ExpenseUVA


11:30 am UBI Travel & Expense App

11:30 am TravelUVA


1:00 pm Negotiating Lower rates for Groups, Conferences, and Meetings in the University Area

1:00 pm ExpenseUVA

Learn more about negotiating with hotels at the Travel and Expense Expo

Do you book hotels for visitors or for events? Would you like to know more about interacting with UVA’s contracted hotels in the area?

Procurement and Supplier Diversity’s Adeline Coe has nearly five years’ dedicated experience in the international travel industry specifically connected to higher education, and she’s bringing her know-how and insider tips to you during the 2018 Travel & Expense Expo, in a special breakout seminar from 1-2pm. Coe understands the unique needs UVA has for hotels and spaces and has practical strategies to share with you on making sure those needs are met for your department or unit.

At the seminar, audience members can expect to

• Get an understanding of how contracts work: what they do and what they don’t do
• Learn how to negotiate what’s important to you and your area
• Hear creative negotiation strategies
• Get insight on how to speak to hotels in their language to your benefit.

See the full schedule of seminars here.

You don’t need to register for our seminars; just make sure and register for the Travel and Expense Expo here.

Those who pre-register receive double entries for a ton of fabulous door prizes!

Don't miss an opportunity to recognize a deserving colleague

Nominations are due March 23 for the Leonard W. Sandridge Outstanding Contribution Award

Last year's Outstanding Contribution
Award Winners (including our wonderful Stacey!)

Faculty, staff, and team members are invited to nominate colleagues for the 2018 Leonard W. Sandridge Outstanding Contribution Award.  Recipients receive a $1,000 award and public recognition as part of receiving the highest honor for University of Virginia Staff.

Last year, UVAFinance's own Stacey Rittenhouse was among those honored.  For more information and to nominate outstanding staff members, please visit the appropriate page for your work area:

* Academic Division Outstanding Contribution Award webpage
* Health System Nomination Form

Thank you for taking the time to express your appreciation for colleagues who go above and beyond in their service to UVA and the Charlottesville/Albemarle community. 

Financial Reporting & Operations welcomes Joyce Gredler to Fixed Assets

Joyce Gredler

Joyce Gredler has joined the Fixed Asset team as a Capital Equipment Accountant. Gredler has held a variety of roles in the accounting field and comes to UVAFinance most recently from the Virginia Youth Soccer Association, where she was Senior Manager, Finance and Administration.

Gredler is a first-time UVA employee and says she’s excited to learn her new role and happy to once again be working in Charlottesville.

“I’ve worked in accounting for a long time, and as a Fixed Asset Accountant in other industries, but it’s nice to learn it in a new area, in academia,” she said, adding that she’s interested in the opportunities UVA employees have to learn and grow both personally and professionally.

Gredler and her husband live in Orange County and have four adult children and one grandson. When she’s not “on duty,” she enjoys walking her dog, knitting, sewing, reading, and continuing her pursuit to become conversational in Italian.

Stay on top of the big initiatives in 2018: Come to the University Project Portfolio Roundtable!

Register by emailing orgex@virginia.edu 

Participate in a UBI Finance Focus Group!

The UBI team is working hard to complete all the development work required to meet the April 30th Discoverer Sunset.  The team is aiming to enhance what is already available, uncover new requirements, create new reports and analysis, and consult and collaborate with YOU.

Please sign up for a focus group session so that your voice is heard on what gets prioritized next.

A variety of focus groups are scheduled between March 2 and March 8, in a variety of locations.  The sessions are short and snacks are provided.

Please visit the UBI Community to RSVP.

Questions?  Need a different time?  Contact Jessica Rafter.