The Office of Financial Affairs created a financial innovators award known as the Financial Affairs Service and Innovation Award to recognize those throughout the university who make significant and lasting contributions to the university through bold, innovative and creative approaches to common, everyday university problems.

The award is open to any university faculty, non-faculty, academic, administrative or skilled crafts/service/maintenance employees who bring forward fresh ideas that lead to process efficiencies, cost savings and/or increased productivity. Each quarter, one employee will be selected to receive the award, and then at the end of the calendar year an annual award winner will be selected from the four quarterly winners.

We are pleased to announce the Q3 2022 award winner as:
Amy Ludwig, Workday Support Services Finance Lead

In July 2020, the university implemented Workday, which brought all U of A System institutions together onto a common platform for the major administrative business functions of finance, human capital management and payroll. Project One (now known as Workday Support Services) is the System-led team which supports the implementation of Workday. Ludwig joined the Project One team in 2021 after serving as director of budget analysis and human resources at University of Arkansas Rich Mountain for 12 years and was recently promoted to Workday Support Services Finance Lead.

Ludwig has been a great advocate and resource for some of the university's more unique business needs. Recently when a new business process approval routing was needed and a U of A systemwide solution seemed unlikely, Ludwig, never one to back down from a challenge, took it upon herself to explore alternative options and developed a solution that met the university's needs without adversely impacting any of the other U of A campuses. Just this one change has streamlined work, improved communications and increased efficiencies for both the Office of Financial Affairs and the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Ludwig also has worked diligently with the university and other U of A campuses to improve year-end financial reporting. In addition, she has worked with the university to redesign asset spend categories, work which will result in a significantly improved and quicker reconciliation process and improved grant financial reporting. Ludwig's efforts are countless, and her work has resulted in significant process improvements for the university.

Ludwig's commitment to the success of Workday not only for the university, but for all U of A System institutions, her problem-solving talents and her dedication to service make her very deserving of the Q3 2022 Financial Affairs Service and Innovation Award. Please join us in congratulating Amy Ludwig!

If you know of an employee deserving of recognition for our next Financial Affairs Service and Innovation Award, we would love to hear about them. Please email your FASI nominations to either Sandy Sturgeon at sandras@uark.edu or Susan Slinkard at svslink@uark.edu.