Chamber honors Employee of the Year
FRANKLIN TWP — Losing a friend and colleague is tough enough, but stepping into the job of that friend after their passing is something Erin Bryer never saw coming.
Bryer, of Slippery Rock University, was recognized by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce as Employee of the Year for her efforts leading the university’s advancement office following the death of her boss.
“There are so many in this room who have held me up,” Bryer said during the chamber’s Employee Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday afternoon, April 24, at the Atrium. “They have allowed me to carry on the legacy of someone I love so much.”
Bryer is interim vice president for University Advancement at SRU, a role she took over in February after the death of the previous interim vice president, Samantha Swift in December.
“This year has been challenging as we lost a colleague and a friend as a team,” Bryer said. “That has been a big part of what I do, which is making sure everyone is OK and keep them going.”
Bryer said her responsibilities include meeting with alumni and connecting them to the university so they can help the next generation of students though scholarships or academic opportunities.
According to Swift’s wife Dana Meute, Bryer worked with Swift at Chatham University as the director of Annual Giving programs before moving to Slippery Rock.
“(Swift) would be the most proud person right now that Erin was honored in this way,” Meute said.
Bryer said what she loved the most about Swift was her ability to make sure everyone she worked with felt cared for every single day.
“That is something I try to live out now,” Bryer said. “I knew how much she cared about me every day.”
Bryer was described as a “servant leader” by colleague Tracy Hust, a fiscal technician at SRU.
“(Bryer) leads through doing,” Hust said. “We just had a scholarship luncheon. They needed to people to work the front registration table. So Erin just sat down at the registration desk and checked people in.”
Jordan Grady, chamber president, presented a wooden mantel clock to Bryer, which is part of the award each year.
“I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a dear friend unexpectedly and then have to step into her role,” Grady said. “Erin works tirelessly to create engagement with stakeholders and enriching our community.”
Grady said this year marks the 20th Employee of the Year award that the chamber has given out.
Bryer earned her bachelor's degree in economics from Allegheny College in 2003 and a master's degree in nonprofit management from the University of Pittsburgh in 2005.
Prior to joining SRU, Bryer had stints at Chatham University, Robert Morris University and Allegheny College.
“A lot of what we do is help students finance their college though scholarships,” Bryer said. “That's something that has always been important to me. Just making sure they can be successful and not have a lot of debt when they graduate.”
