The business operations specialist is recognized for stepping up to handle additional responsibilities for animal procurement, ensuring that critical research operations continue seamlessly.
When the Veterinary Resources business team in the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC) lost two employees, business operations specialist Tia Stone stepped in to take over their duties, ensuring that critical operations at the University continued seamlessly.
Stone’s regular duties include handling payroll and transactional human resources (HR) responsibilities for OAC’s five departments. She took on the added responsibility of animal procurement for UMB’s researchers and granting access for Veterinary Resources’ animal facilities.
“Her willingness to take on purchase order requisitions and additional responsibilities and to learn new processes on the fly has sustained Veterinary Resources’ operations at a time when disruption could have had serious consequences for animal care, researcher timelines, and institutional compliance,” said Carey A. Martin, MA, MBA, CRA, business operations administrator and Stone’s supervisor.
On May 11, Stone was surprised on a videoconference by UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, with the news that she has been named UMB’s May Employee of the Month for her efforts.
“You have wonderful attributes that have made you and your work stand out at UMB, and your colleagues say you are terrific to work with,” he said.
Susan C. Buskirk, DM, MS, chief accountability officer, vice president, and institutional official for human subjects research, told Stone during the videoconference that it is a pleasure having her work in OAC.
“Without individuals like you on the team, we’re at a disadvantage,” Buskirk said. “You certainly put us in front of the curve when it comes to doing what’s right by our animals and their welfare as well as all the HR and other activities that you do keeping us organized.”
Martin called Stone “outstanding and exceptional every single day in your role,” adding that she is reliable, proactive, and solution-oriented.
Veterinary Resources director Larry J. Shelton, DVM, MPH, agreed that Stone brings a positive attitude to her job.
“I want to say thank you for all of your work,” he said. “Knowing the history of Veterinary Resources, having someone like you on the team is what we need to move forward in a positive direction, and you’ve certainly achieved that. When I see you, I know I’m going to have good thoughts in my head because Tia is doing something great.”
In nominating Stone for the award, Martin also praised her for being detail-oriented.
“She processes approximately 171 animal orders per month — work that previously required two dedicated buyers — and she does so with meticulous attention to detail, conducting thorough protocol reviews, maintaining clear communication with vendors and labs, and ensuring accurate financial entries and reconciliation,” Martin said.
Stone, who was hired 3½ years ago as a program coordinator for Veterinary Resources solely handling animal procurement, said she enjoys being able to take on new tasks.
“There are a lot of things I do now that weren’t in my wheelhouse before, such as some of the financial aspects that I took over,” said Stone, who supports about 150 people in OAC with payroll responsibilities.
Martin said, “Her eagerness to learn new skills and take on unfamiliar tasks reflects exactly the kind of adaptive, forward-thinking mindset that drives institutional progress.”
Stone said this is precisely want she likes most about her job.
“I like that I’m continuously learning. I don’t like to do the same exact thing every single day,” she said. “I like that there’s always something more here for me to learn.”
Martin said Stone has streamlined workflows so that a function once staffed by two buyers can now operate effectively under her purview.
Stone said the key to handling her many responsibilities is being organized and prioritizing her duties.
“I keep a running list of things that urgently need to be taken care of and work through my list while keeping an eye on things to make sure that nothing else comes in that I need to urgently deal with,” she said. “I keep it flexible because sometimes things do not go according to plan.”
Stone, who will receive a certificate and $250 in her next paycheck for the Employee of the Month Award, thanked Martin for her support.
“She’s always willing to teach me new things,” Stone said. “If I come to her with any kind of issue I’m having, she is great to walk me through it. She’s just been very supportive of my growth and development.”
Stone, who will graduate with her Master of Health Administration degree from University of Maryland Global Campus this year, said she is honored to win the award.
“It’s nice to know that the extra work I put in is noticed and appreciated,” she said. “I know that we’re a large campus, so to be singled out above everybody else is very humbling.
“I’m just always happy to do what’s best for the team, and sometimes that means taking on a little extra, and that’s OK. Teamwork is not just about one person, it’s about how we work together.”
Martin said Stone’s contributions ripple across the entire UMB community.
“Researchers depend on timely animal orders to keep their projects moving; compliance depends on accurate protocol reviews and financial reconciliation; and animal welfare depends on the uninterrupted flow of supplies and care resources,” Martin said. “Tia holds all of these threads together. During one of the most challenging staffing periods Veterinary Resources has faced, she has not only kept operations running, she has kept them running well.”