2009 recipient

DecolynneJo Barteski, an executive assistant with Kinder Morgan Canada Terminals, is the winner of the 2009 OfficeTeam Administrative Excellence Award. A 10-member committee chose Barteski, of Calgary, Alberta, from a pool of nearly 200 nominations throughout North America. 

Barteski says that success in the administrative field requires strong communication and negotiation abilities, time-management skills, patience, honesty and consistency. Barteski’s manager, vice president Bill Henderson, said she is a “go-to person” in the organization who possesses all of those traits — and many more.

When asked to name the one quality that impresses him most about Barteski, Henderson offered three: “First is DecolynneJo’s calm disposition,” he said. “Even when things get harried and stressful, she is able to remain cool and calm, working with colleagues and clients in a friendly, professional manner. Second is her ability to anticipate my and other senior team members’ needs. Third is her desire for self-improvement and initiative in finding ways to improve her skills.”

When a large project was jeopardized by an unexpected staff vacancy, for instance, Barteski stepped up to play a critical role, teaching herself the intricacies of Kinder Morgan’s purchasing, budgeting and cost-tracking processes.

Her efforts proved invaluable.

“She helped save the project by traveling to a remote location for several weeks and applying new skills that are normally performed by degreed accountants and engineers,” wrote Kinder Morgan’s vice president Hal King in his nomination letter. “She was a leader on this job and a prime contributor to its success.”

King added: “Even the chairman of our 8,500-employee company knows DecolynneJo. Throughout the organization, she is seen as someone who can be depended on to get things done, no matter how difficult.”

Barteski noted that she enhanced her leadership skills by watching and learning from respected managers and mentors. “Observing how good leaders act has given me excellent pointers and a pattern to follow,” Barteski said.

In addition to the many contributions she makes on the job, Barteski remains highly active outside the office. She steadily climbed the ranks of the Calgary chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). After serving as program chair and vice president, she is now chapter president.

Barteski, who holds a Professional Legal Assistant credential, added the Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) designation to her resume in January and is studying for her Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) designation. She also is an advisor for the Administration Information Management programs at both the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Olds College. “As a mentor for others in the administrative field, my goal is to help people acquire the skills and confidence they need to succeed in their jobs,” Barteski said.