Dom Hidalgo Customer Service Award Winner - Christine Ware
Dom Hidalgo must have been a remarkable individual. It’s not often that an annual award for exemplary customer service is named in your honor. Hidalgo was a 35-year veteran of the PUC in the Transportation section, before passing in 1997. Each year since 1998, an employee has been recognized for outstanding customer service with the Dom Hidalgo Service Award.
Fiscal Officer Christine Ware received the honor this year. Her nomination cited her kindness and helpfulness, “Even if I’m asking the same question for the third time. She’s part of the glue that makes the PUC function,” wrote the nominator.
Nominees for the award must demonstrate patience and tolerance, maintain a positive attitude, assist other employees, promote a spirit of cooperation, deal effectively with hostile or negative situations, identify and implement improvements in processes and procedures, and be innovative in problem-solving, and following up with customers.
Behind her kind eyes, and warm smile is a woman who believes in service to others and likely influenced by her father, who was an Air Force civil engineer.
Her smile belies her profession with a love of music. There’s a reason she smiles warmly and offers her service. She’s hearing beautiful melodies, strains of opera and gospel music, and people may be surprised to learn she earned her BM in vocal performance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She’s directed choirs and has sung for Opera Colorado. She’s a pianist and flautist.
She grew up in a military family, which eventually settled in Denver where she attended Smoky Hill High School and graduated as salutatorian of her class.
She’s grateful to her teachers, one middle school teacher in particular, and one who spent every free moment working with his math students. “He made us all feel like mathematicians!” Eventually, Ware and her fellow students entered numerous math competitions and were highly successful.
“I’ll never forget one student who came into math class at Smoky Hill and wanted to transfer out because, he said, as long as I was in the class there’d be no curve,” she laughs.
She’s been with the PUC 16 years, and prior to that, worked at an oil company, at US WEST and at the Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle Division.
She’s humbled by the acknowledgement and honored to be recognized with fellow nominees Holly Bise and Ron Davis, for the Hidalgo award. “I admire and respect them so much. They are creative, innovative and so knowledgeable.”
Ware lights up when discussing PUC staff. “I see the infusion of young people with new ideas and perspectives. It’s a whole new generation which can truly serve the citizens of the State of Colorado.
At some point Ware won’t be at the PUC. But you might find her singing or directing a choir, or perhaps as a hospital volunteer helping calm newborn babies while singing a soothing lullaby.
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