Campus News - October 15, 2001

Sainz delivers service with a smile

By Michael Padilla

Marilou "Mari" SainzImagine if the only color you could see is purple. Mari Sainz wishes she could.

“Purple makes me smile and it brings me peace,” she says. “The instant I look at the color purple I feel better and more relaxed.”

As an accounting technician at Telecommunications, Sainz has converted her office into a purple haven. From her computer screensaver to her bulletin board to pens and papers, nearly everything in her office is purple. She collects anything purple that doesn’t move.

One thing that isn’t purple in her office is her favorite poster of Spanish entertainer Luis Miguel. “He makes me smile too,” she says.

She says that using her smile helps make a difference in other people’s lives. “I treat people the way I would want to be treated,” she says. “Even though people don’t get to see me smile when I’m talking on the phone believe me, it’s there.”

Often dubbed the cell phone queen, Sainz is responsible for account charges for cellular phones, pagers, voice mail and billing issues for telephone line charges at UNM. She provides assistance for nearly 1,200 pagers and cell phones and she works closely with cell phone providers and is grateful for their expertise.

Sainz says she enjoys her job and makes the best out of each day. “I am fortunate to be part of UNM,” she says, adding that she loves the benefits at UNM. “Since I spend most of my time answering questions over the phone and on email I am able to work on a flex schedule and I complete my work on off hours.”

A former South Valley girl who now lives closer to UNM, Sainz has two grown sons, Patrick and Martin, and seven grandchildren.

She is most proud of her sons' successes attributed to her persistence in making sure they did their best in school. Patrick works at the U.S. Post Office and Martin works as a computer information technician at Relios, a jewelry manufacturing company.

She showers her grandchildren with gifts and always manages to be there for them.

“My family is the best thing that happened to me,” she says. “They keep me busy and I am grateful that they do.”

As a volunteer for VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) she assists the elderly and low income people during each income tax season. She says it’s a way to give back to the community.

At home, she enjoys solving cross-word puzzles, reading romance novels and sewing. She makes a lot of her clothes and enjoys cross-stitching.

Whether at work or at home, she says everything she does involves a smile.

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Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
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