For the News Chief

An executive administrative specialist for Campus Facilities and Educational Outreach, Johnson will receive the university’s 2007 Outstanding Staff Award. The highest honor accorded to administration and staff employees, it recognizes excellence, commitment and a high level of performance and standards that support the overall values and service standards of the USF system.

Johnson and her husband, Dave, left New Hampshire in September 2003 - just in time to escape another frigid New England winter.

"We moved here to be closer to Dave's elderly parents and to our granddaughter," says Johnson. "The other big draw, of course, was the weather. We wanted to be able to drive our motorcycles year round."

The couple shares a passion for Harley Davidsons, and Dave works at a local motorcycle shop.

"He's been riding for approximately 40 years and I got my license in 1999," says Johnson. "I love it because you get to see the world on your bike. I find that most motorcyclists are very outgoing, friendly people, and therefore easy to get to know."

The transplanted New Englander feels right at home in Winter Haven, which she discovered is a mecca for motorcyclists.

"We were quickly drawn into the motorcycle scene in and around Winter Haven by the many friends we've made in the area. I love Winter Haven because of its small-town feel, which we were used to coming from a rural town in New England."

Johnson says she has become not only "a die-hard Havenite" but also "a die-hard Polk County resident."

"I'm very committed to playing a part in the future of Polk County, particularly to improving educational opportunities for the kids of Polk County," she says. "That commitment has come through my involvement in this institution and the loyalty I feel towards USF Lakeland. We moved to Florida without jobs. The day I drove onto this campus to deliver my resume, I knew this is where I belonged and that I would work here for a long time."

According to David Steele, one of Johnson's USF Lakeland colleagues, "Claire is a truly extraordinary person. She has this sense of adventure and of optimism that is totally contagious. She's not afraid to try something new, and I think that inspires those of us who get to work with her. How can we be afraid?"

Marshall Goodman, VP/CEO of USF Lakeland, came to campus with a now-famous motto: "Dream no small dreams." Though the words may have been new to Johnson when Goodman arrived from California's Silicon Valley, the spirit of that vision wasn't.

According to Goodman, "Hard work and dreaming aren't always qualities you expect to find in the same person. Usually we think folks are in one category or the other. But Claire Johnson represents both. She dreams big and then puts in the kind of work it takes to make the dream a reality. That's the kind of person I want on my team."

Johnson's friend and supervisor, Alice Murray, AVP of Campus Facilities and Educational Outreach, echoes those sentiments: "What Claire does on her own is incredibly valuable to us. But the impact she has on people around her is even more valuable. Her talents and personality make a huge difference to our university."

At USF Lakeland, Johnson quickly earned a reputation for her willingness to tackle any project.

"Her contributions above and beyond her work have impacted our campus and have certainly made a difference in the lives of the people she works with on a daily basis," says Dr. Jan Lloyd, director of student life.

Dr. Andrew Artis, assistant professor of marketing, also praises Johnson for voluntarily taking on extra duties: "She goes beyond the call of duty because she sees where she can make a difference and she does not hesitate to act."

"I love this campus, so to receive the Outstanding Staff Award and be recognized by my colleagues is a wonderful honor," says Johnson. "Hard-working values are ingrained in me, but every so often it feels really good to be recognized for your efforts."