From left: Alfie Plenzich and Fred Szabo.
Alfie Plenzich
Plenzich — who still goes by Alfie — says their reaction was one of relief. She says her years at Concordia have been full of funny stories, friendships and learning.
“You know when you're a child and you’re growing up, and your mother and father teach you? Well, Concordia became that to me,” says Plenzich. “I was a child from an immigrant family. In my area, I was surrounded by Italian people. When I came here it was all kinds of people. The best part was the knowledge, the surroundings and my co-workers, some of whom are now part of my life.”
One of those people is her husband, Alan Gingell, who works in the Mail Services division of Facilities Management. They met in 1992 at a university event.
During her four decades at Concordia, Plenzich has worked for Financial Services, which handled payroll before it came under the umbrella of Human Resources, as well as for the Faculty of Arts and Science as a budget officer.
Today, she is a payroll administrator with Human Resources. For the calendar year Plenzich works on income taxes, and for the fiscal year, balance-sheet accounts. She also serves as a resource person for her colleagues and the university community.
Over the years, Plenzich has experienced first-hand the integration of new technologies and watched the university transform.
“Everything we did was by hand. Then one day they decided they were going to put this foreign thing on my desk called a computer,” says Plenzich with a laugh. “Now I cannot live without a computer, iPad or iPhone.”
Plenzich says her career at Concordia has allowed her to grow, learn and become the person she is today.
“I still enjoy my job and I love Concordia.”
Fred Szabo: steadfast teacher and former dean
Professor of Mathematics, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
50 years at Concordia
Fred Szabo started his teaching career at Sir George Williams University in the fall of 1964.
Over half a century later, Szabo is a full professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
“Concordia allowed me to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher,” says Szabo, who specializes in the computer-assisted teaching of mathematics.
Fred Szabo