Jonathan Kukta has been selected to receive the Penn State Finance and Business Quality Service/Quality People Leadership Award. The award will be bestowed by Al Horvath, Penn State's senior vice president for Finance and Business, at a ceremony at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 29, at the Nittany Lion Inn, on the University Park campus.
The Leadership Award is one of four awards presented through Finance and Business, which represents Auxiliary and Business Services, Commonwealth Campus Operations, Office of Physical Plant, Investment Management, Budget Office, Human Resources, Police Services, Hershey Medical Center Finance and Business, Internal Audit and the Corporate Controllers’ Office at Penn State.
“I am delighted that Jonathan is being honored for his leadership and service to Penn State. Jonathan models excellence in customer service in all that he does. The outstanding quality and service for which Penn State Schuylkill’s Food Service operation are known bring community groups including The United Way and The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce to campus,” said Keith Hillkirk, chancellor at Penn State Schuylkill.
Kukta has been employed by Penn State since 2002. He spent his first five years at Penn State Berks as a manager/assistant director of Housing and Food Services. In 2007, he was named the director of Housing and Food Services for northeastern campuses of Hazleton, Schuylkill, Wilkes-Barre and Worthington Scranton. He has a bachelor's degree from Penn State in hotel, restaurant and institutional management and a master of business administration degree from Alvernia College.
“I am honored to have received this year’s F&B Leadership Award. I really appreciate all the support I have received from my staff at Hazleton, Schuylkill, Wilkes-Barre and Worthington Scranton. Most of all I appreciate the opportunity to provide services to the 3,500 students at the four campuses and provide leadership and guidance in helping them achieve their goals,” Kukta said.