Josh Kifer, Security Administrator, has been named Staff of the Month for June 2024. Kifer has been a dedicated member of College of Western Idaho (CWI) community since 2014, where he initially served as the contracted Security Manager until 2021 before transitioning to his current role.
Jennifer Cooley, who nominated Kifer, highlighted his exceptional representation of CWI's goals and core values. "Josh has a genuine passion for helping members of the CWI community and addressing safety concerns with the utmost respect and care," she stated. Jennifer praised Josh's outstanding customer service and eagerness to assist, noting his ability to handle a wide range of responsibilities, from activating new employee badges and issuing keys to performing welfare checks and ensuring safety in various locations.
Cooley further emphasized Kifer's commitment to the security and compliance of the College, saying, "Josh has been a huge help to our team throughout his years both as a CWI employee and as a contractor with our security vendor. Security and compliance are not always topics that bring us joy, but knowing Josh has a passion for the safety of the entire CWI community and that he goes above and beyond in maintaining the extensive regulatory compliance reporting for our campus makes him an ideal candidate for Staff of the Month."
In his role as Security Administrator, Kifer assists in managing the Security department and oversees Clery Compliance for the College. His dedication to ensuring the safety and security of the CWI community is evident in his daily work and interactions with students, staff, faculty, and guests.
Reflecting on his time at CWI, Kifer shared the people are what drew him to the College and what continues to inspire him. "I figured out early how great the staff and people are. Made each day easy to be engaged with. Working with Facilities and Security, I found my 'flock' of people," he explained. Kifer holds a degree in Graphic Design and Oil Painting from North Idaho College and has been in the security industry since 2002.
Kifer's experiences at CWI have provided him with many memorable moments, including some unexpected and humorous incidents. "In Security, I get to remember all of the wild things that happen on campus. Like when a plane landed at the NCAB entrance and proceeded to take out all of our light poles with its wings. Or the burning R2D2 unit beeping through the NMEC hallways while shooting out flames. Stuff you look back and realize you couldn't make up the story on a good day," he recounted.
Outside of work, Kifer enjoys a unique and niche hobby of restoring vintage poker chips from the 70s and 80s. He currently has approximately 100,000 poker chips in his basement. Kifer was born and raised in Boise, Idaho, and is a native Idahoan.
Kifer's dedication to his role and his positive impact on the CWI community make him a deserving recipient of the Staff of the Month award for June 2024. Congratulations to Josh Kifer for his outstanding contributions to the College.
