Finance Updates

News, updates and information from the University of North Dakota Finance team.

Dawn Lommen Retirement Reception, June 22, 2:00-3:00pm (via Zoom)

UND Procurement & Payment Services is hosting a retirement reception via ZOOM for Dawn Lommen, Monday, June 22 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  (Zoom link below)

Dawn joined UND in 1995 as a computer equipment operator for the Human Nutrition Research Center.  Her job originally centered around entering data into research databases. Dawn’s creative side was tapped as researchers began asking her to create posters, programs, slides and full presentations for conferences.  Dawn was self-taught in Adobe Photoshop® and CorelDRAW® Graphics. One of her chemical pathway drawings was published in a research paper by a USDA researcher.  In 2004, Dawn was asked to enter a logo creation contest for a federal program called the Northern Plains Area Secretarial Advisory Council – a contest that she won!  However, since Dawn was not a federal employee, she was not allowed to accept the winning prize.

In 2005, Dawn transitioned to the Accounting Services Department, now known as Procurement & Payment Services, as Data Input Operator.  Dawn’s “lightning fingers” fly across the keyboard with astonishing accuracy.  Her coworkers watch in amazement as she speaks with campus customers on the phone while continuing to enter data!

Dawn plays an integral part in the day-to-day operations and customer service for Payment Services. Before the UND campus transitioned to electronic-flow forms, Dawn would key in approximately 300 paper payment vouchers, journal vouchers and journal entries per day, including all FAMIS and FoodPro invoices.  She assisted the budget staff with keying budget journal transactions and combo code requests.   Prior to these vouchers landing on Dawn’s desk, accounting staff would manually alphabetize, write vendor numbers, staple and audit the vouchers.  At fiscal year-end, Dawn and the staff would enter up to 1,200 vouchers daily.  Dawn reconciled budget errors, working with departments to fix these errors.  She also worked with the UND Alumni Association & Foundation to process department flow-through reimbursements.

Over the years, Dawn’s role has continuously changed with the implementation of systems such as Perceptive Content, Travel & Expense, MIRA and Jaggaer.  Dawn has always approached these changes with professionalism and excellence that comes from striving to be a life-long learner. Dawn now manages voucher uploads from Famis, FoodPro, P-Card, Perceptive Content, Miscellaneous, and Student Refunds, where she continues to reconcile and work with departments for budget errors.  She works with payroll staff for special handling of certain payroll vouchers. Dawn also reconfigures upload templates each time PeopleSoft has an upgrade so that departments can use them.

Dawn’s hard work and dedication will be missed. But the staff and student workers in the finance unit will especially miss Dawn’s smile and her ability to make us laugh.

In retirement, Dawn and her husband Dean will enjoy their Minnesota lake cabin and plan to winter in Arizona.  They are looking forward to spending more time with family and attending their grandchildren’s school, sporting and music events.  Dawn, an avid quilter and seamstress, has plans to make seven quilts for her grandchildren in the near future!

Please join us in celebrating Dawn’s career and service to UND for the past 25 years!

https://und.zoom.us/j/95855071743?pwd=Z2V5OCtrbEpoc09EYVBoYU5tRGw1UT09

Meeting ID: 958 5507 1743

Password: 991000

 

 

Tonya Parton, Payment Services Manager, Procurement & Payment Services