1. I am pleased to provide a professional reference for Ms. JoAnn Payne. JoAnnwouldbe anexcellent employee andyour
companyis fortunate to have the opportunityto hire her. JoAnn workedas mylaboratorytechnicianfor 13 years, until the
project was terminatedin2013 for businessreasons in nowayassociated withJoAnn’s performance. Prior to myarrival in
December of 1999 JoAnn worked ina similar role for other primaryinvestigators mostlyin the area of microbiology. Duringour
time together JoAnnwas botha valuedemployee as well as a mentor who introducedme to the routine operations andsafety
culture ofmynew job.
While workingfor me JoAnnwas responsible for carrying out treatabilitystudies to determine the conditions under which
environmental contaminants will be degradedbymicroorganisms. Inthese studies JoAnn applied her skills at the preparation
and manipulationof fieldsamples, microbial cultures, and solutions under anaerobic conditions. This requires anattention to
detail and labskills in additionto culturingskills andaseptic technique usedinmost microbiologylaboratories. Inmanaging
these experiments she collectedandmaintained large and complex data sets using gas chromatography, ion chromatography,
and liquidscintillationcounting andbecame a valuedlocalresource in the maintenance of thisequipment.
JoAnn has anexcellent work ethic which is reflectedinher punctuality andcommitment to meetingthe needs of the job. Inmy
experience she works reliablyandsafely withlittle over sight. She is careful to askquestions to be sure she understands what is
neededandwhenthere is a problem she takes the time to think it throughandidentifya solutionand/or possible resources to
helpsolve the problem. On several occasions she taught herself to use newequipment and software withlittle assistance,
most notablyanionchromatograph and autosampler. Because our experiments routinelyran well over a year, she often had
several concurrent projects and did an excellent jobinmanaging the flow ofwork and organizing the resultant data for analysis
using Excel. During this time she alsomaintainedour laboratoryto corporate safetystandards and participated inthe review
and certification ofthe safetyprocedures unique to our projects. Within our workgroup JoAnnwas regardedas a safetyleader
in the use ofcompressedgasses, anaerobic glove-bags and general lab management.
Finally, inadditionto JoAnn’s technical skills I want to note that she is anexcellent team member. This comes out inher respect
for and interest in her colleagues as people andher willingness to help others withtheir work. She is one ofthose people that
makes work groups workmore efficientlywithanimprovedmorale anddoesthis bygenuinely caring about the people around
her.
Speaking bothpersonallyand professionally, workingwith JoAnnwas a pleasure andfrankly, I reallymiss her. I wouldhappily
work with her again. Your companyhasthe opportunityto gain an experiencedandqualified employee, I hope you take it.
Sincerely,
E. Erin Mack Ph. D.
311 N. DillwynRd.
Newark, DE 19711
Ph. 302-388-8104
eemack38@comcast.net