Martinez named April’s Civil Service Employee of the Month

John Martinez, a policy/data analyst for South Dakota State University’s Division of Budget and Finance, has been named SDSU Civil Service Employee of the Month for April. 

He will be honored at a reception held from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, in Morrill Hall 104. 

Martinez has worked at SDSU for nearly three years, having moved here from Redding, California, in June 2021. 

Kacie Richard, SDSU director of finance and budget, called Martinez a passionate person who cares deeply about his work and shares his enthusiasm wherever he goes. He shares new ideas and is adaptable, volunteering and learning new skills whenever he can. 

Richard said when Martinez joined SDSU, he took on the challenge of learning Payment Card Industry compliance, ensuring the university has the appropriate technology, training and controls in place to take credit card payments. His position “requires the utmost integrity to protect the university from compliance risk and potential fraud.” 

“There are numerous other stories of John rising up to help our department and our university when a need appears,” Richard said. “Whether it be helping the bookstore with their orders during peak times, volunteering as an ice cream scooper at team events, attending career fairs to share the story of SDSU careers, or becoming a ticket-taker for athletic events, John is always ready to seize an opportunity to contribute in a positive and meaningful way to the university.” 

Becky Degen, SDSU director of continuous improvement, said Martinez demonstrates a commendable level of dedication and excellence in his work. Martinez has embraced learning about SDSU’s ticketing software and helps ensure ticketing transactions are done accurately and efficiently. 

“In addition to his technical skills, John is a true team player. He fosters an encouraging and collaborative work environment, often going out of his way to assist colleagues and provide mentorship when needed,” Degen said. “John makes a point to get to know his colleagues, helping foster a caring work-family environment. This inclusive approach greatly adds to the team’s success.” 

Degen also praised Martinez’s communication skills, which are invaluable to the customer service aspects of his role. 

Becky Pistulka, assistant director of employer engagement in SDSU’s Office of Career Development, agreed. 

“John is so quick to respond to any credit card transaction that I need processed, and he is always polite and easy to work with. … (He has) amazing turnaround! I wish all our internal clients here on campus would respond so quickly. I’m happy to include John on my team for quality customer service in responding to my career fair clients,” Pistulka said. 

Martinez graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a degree in accounting and previously worked on the university’s housing team. He has a 6-year-old daughter, Andercyn, and two dogs. He’s a video game, sports and Liverpool Football Club enthusiast and enjoys coaching his daughter’s soccer team. 

He said he loves working at SDSU because there is always something fun and exciting going on. He thanked his supervisors and colleagues for giving him the opportunity to be here. 

“They are always supportive, and I know I can be successful with them by my side,” Martinez said. 

All SDSU Employee of the Month selections are determined through a nomination process by the Civil Service Advisory Council. Each civil service employee of the month receives an appreciation monetary gift from the F.O. Butler Foundation. The trustees of the foundation recognize the importance of civil service employees and take this opportunity to thank them for their exemplary service.