Production Manager Matt Warthen was named the 2021 CIO Award of Excellence recipient by CIO Doug Foster.  The award honors an individual within the Division of Information Technology who has demonstrated leadership, initiative, and going above and beyond. Warthen’s hard work, demonstrated leadership, initiative, and his go-to personality led to the selection.

Foster said he received several messages of praise and appreciation for Matt throughout the past year. The sentiments were from individuals across the university who Matt assisted. Foster said individuals used words such as "thorough," "solution-oriented," "humble," and "calming" when describing Matt. He said Matt was instrumental in assisting people stay connected and continue working and teaching throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As a production manager, Warthen coordinates many audio-visual production needs across campus, including assisting in the virtual broadcast of Board of Trustees meetings, recording and editing video segments for special events, and production of virtual and onsite commencement ceremonies throughout the UofSC system. Jeff Hostilo, executive director of teaching and learning technologies, said Warthen's work is crucial to the success of the university. He said, "As the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the university to find innovative ways to collaborate, Matt, along with other members of the Media Services team, successfully administered virtual events such University Town Halls, which allowed the university President and his cabinet to have regular communications with students, parents, faculty, and staff throughout the pandemic. Matt is dedicated and supportive of the entire university."

Warthen said, "I was surprised and honored to receive this award. It has been a busy year, and it means a lot to be recognized in this way. " He said the Division of IT "has faced unprecedented challenges in the last two years, and we've met those challenges on every front. I just passed 16 years of employment with the university. I'm looking forward to what the balance of my career here has in store."