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Brightwell-Kraft joined WIU in 2016 as a retail manager and continues to serve in this role.
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Brightwell-Kraft Named Oct. 2026 CSEC EOM

October 14, 2026

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MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University has named Tracy Brightwell-Kraft the October 2026 Al and Elaine Goldfarb Civil Service Employee of the Month for her work within the Bookstore for the last decade. Brightwell-Kraft currently serves as the Retail Manager.

"This individual is an outstanding employee and colleague, and someone whose work and dedication always show their commitment to the task at hand," her nominator said.

"Over the last several years while supervising this individual, I have been amazed at how the textbook industry works within higher education. It is so much more than supply and demand, but a constant game of trial and error, projections, and logistical planning that rivals that of FedEx and other carrier services."

Her nominator also praised Brightwell-Kraft's ability to ensure students and faculty have the textbooks that they need to be successful in the classroom. They also praised her customer service and efforts to work tirelessly to help patrons when needed.

Brightwell-Kraft's strong ability to work with vendors and meet many deadlines, including books, merchandise and more, was also highlighted.

"During this fall semester alone, 92% (458) of courses were received after the established deadline, and as of this nomination, 202 courses remain outstanding. The nominee works diligently with professors to determine textbook needs and, when books are required, coordinates with publishers and printers to secure the necessary quantities. This often involves ordering from multiple vendors or locating used copies through other wholesalers, adding significant time and stress to their responsibilities. Ordering too many copies can result in costly restocking fees, while ordering too few may leave us unable to obtain additional copies. The nominee carefully manages these variables to ensure we secure the materials needed as cost-effectively as possible," her nominator continued.

Another example of the nominee's strong relationships with publishers is their ability to secure electronic versions of textbooks when hard copies are delayed. These efforts ensure students are not left without essential resources and can continue progressing in their courses. I am grateful for the nominee's ability to negotiate these partnerships and find solutions that support student success.

"We should all appreciate the effort the nominee puts forth each day. Rather than simply ordering requested titles by their deadlines, this individual goes above and beyond by proactively contacting professors and persistently seeking the information needed to make everyone's jobs easier. I greatly appreciate their continued initiative and dedication to the betterment of WIU," her nominator said.

As the Civil Service Employee of the Month, Brightwell-Kraft will receive a $100 stipend (before taxes), a plaque, a reserved parking space and recognition through a University press release. She will be eligible for consideration for the Civil Service Employee of the Year Award in December.

The Al and Elaine Goldfarb Civil Service Employee of the Month Award recognizes Civil Service employees who demonstrate exceptional enthusiasm, effort and quality in job performance by going above and beyond their regular job duties. Nominations are placed as a permanent record in the recipient's personnel file.

To nominate your coworker who is deserving of CSEC/COAP employee of the month, visit wiu.edu/human_resources/eom/.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing