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Longtime district employee nabs award NINA MOCK IS 'SCHOOL RELATED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR.'

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By LINNEA BROWN, Hernando Today

Published: November 20, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - Brooksville resident Nina Mock vividly remembers the night she and others pulled an all-nighter at the Hernando County School District.

An accounting assistant, Mock said the problem occurred last year on a weeknight, when the district's computer system malfunctioned while configuring retroactive pay raises.

"It started with us knowing we'd have to stay late, but before we knew it, we had worked all day and all night," she said. "I went home that morning, changed clothes and had to go right back to work. But I enjoy it; it's almost like having a new family because we spend so much time together."

Her "family" enjoys Mock, too - as evidenced by their nomination of her for "School Related Employee of the Year" for 2007-08.

She accepted the award at a banquet Thursday in Spring Hill.

"I was very shocked," Mock said afterward. "It's humbling, too, being (up there) with 24 other people who have contributed so much."

Sponsored by the Hernando County Education Foundation, the annual award honors district personnel that normally fly under the radar, such as custodians, bus drivers, bookkeepers and secretaries.

With 25 nominees, this year's honor drew nominations from areas such as maintenance, transportation, school services and accountability, business services and schools. Workers were nominated by co-workers, teachers, parents, students or supervisors, with the finalists narrowed down by a nomination committee.

In her recommendation letter for the award, a committee of 12 coworkers described Mock with the following: "Going above and beyond the call of duty is not uncommon for her and she certainly doesn't do it for the recognition or for the off-chance of reaping any special benefits. Nina will tell you flat out 'that's my job!' She takes extreme pride is what she does and her attitude reflects that."

"When you think you are having a bad day and things can only get worse, Nina pokes her head in and her smile brightens your day," her colleagues continued.

With nearly 30 years of employment at the school district, Mock began her career at Hernando High School as a physical education teacher's assistant, then spent several years at the Human Resources department as a personnel specialist.

The next few years were rough, with Mock losing her husband, Keith, to cancer in 1999.

Looking for a change of pace, she transferred to the finance department as an accounting assistant in 2001, and has been there ever since.

These days, Mock's job consists of assisting the payroll coordinator, balancing and assisting with processing a bi-weekly payroll for the district's 3,800 employees and processing final payoffs of sick leave and vacation leave for all employees.

Though not part of her job description, she also acts as a liaison with the human resources department on related issues, runs reports as requested by cost centers, allocates leave on a monthly basis and assists timekeepers with questions or problems.

Her colleagues said one of Mock's greatest assets is her personality.

"One word that describes Nina is 'contagious.' She's a fireball of energy and enjoys life to the fullest. Regardless of how stressful the situation may be, she's always smiling," they wrote.

Mock agreed that she enjoys going to work each day.

"We take our jobs very seriously, but we like to have fun," she said. "We have cubicles right next to (each other), and you never know when a rubber lizard or bug will come flying across the room."

When not at work, Mock has spent the past several years acting as a caregiver for her elderly uncle Arthur, who passed away in March at age 91.

Today, she regards him as her greatest inspiration and role model, she said.

A proud mother and grandmother, Mock has two sons, two daughter-in-laws and three grandchildren, two of whom attend county public schools, she said.

Currently recovering from back surgery, Mock said she looks forward to returning to her lifelong pastimes of gardening, fishing and "anything outdoors."

And the award she received Thursday came as a complete surprise, she added.

"I know my mouth had to have dropped to the floor," she said. "But really - there are a lot of people who are really outstanding employees, and a lot of people who are worth it. I feel very (honored) to have been chosen."

For more information about the annual award, call HCEF executive director Kathleen Reitz at 352-797-7029.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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