During Employee Recognition Program celebrations in June, UT Southwestern will honor the dedication and achievements of longtime employees whose contributions have been instrumental in shaping the institution’s growth and success.   

This year, 213 employees have been invited to attend a June 10 breakfast or a June 11 luncheon recognizing them for 60, 45, 40, 35, 30, and 25 years of service, respectively. Of these, 127 will be newly inducted into the institution’s Quarter Century Club, which was created by UTSW in 1996 to recognize those who have reached the milestone of 25 years of UT System service. Honorees will be recognized before an audience that includes their immediate supervisors, members of the Quarter Century Club, and executive leadership.

For the first time, UT Southwestern faculty members who have reached these employment milestones also will be honored. Their inclusion more than doubles the number of individuals recognized in past ceremonies. Hosting the events is UTSW President Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D.

Keynote speaker for both celebrations is Jeremy Falke, M.B.A., Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Since UT Southwestern’s mission can only be achieved through its people, Mr. Falke said, recognizing their dedicated years of service is important.

“Serving people is at the heart of who we are and what we do,” Mr. Falke said. “Our employees’ dedication to serving students, patients, and each other fuels our institution’s continued success.”

He said the collective impact of these long-term employees on the institution is truly “profound and exceptional” and a stark contrast to local and national workforce tenures. By comparison, the median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 3.9 years in January 2024, down from 4.1 years in January 2022 and the lowest number since January 2002, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in September 2024.

Mr. Falke, who joined UTSW in 2022, oversees Human Resources Operations, Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Talent Development, and Payroll. Before joining UT Southwestern, he had more than two decades of experience in transformational human resources, financial, and business operations for health care companies. Upon his arrival, he quickly recognized that UT Southwestern’s people make it exceptional.

“I have the privilege to serve alongside colleagues every day as we together advance academic medicine while also inspiring the next generation of physicians, scientists, and caregivers,” he said.

During his short tenure at UTSW, Mr. Falke said he has seen so much progress, energy, and engagement in creating outstanding results.

“Ensuring we hire the very best and brightest, continue to engage our current colleagues in their development and career path, and create an environment that is welcoming and supportive always is where I set our vision going forward,” he said.