After nearly 23 years at the UA, Margie Barber, chief administration officer of the Arizona Cancer Center, is retiring at the end of December.
An event honoring her service to the UA was held on Wednesday. Before working at the center, Barber served at the Financial Services Office as the assistant controller and the university’s audit coordinator. She then worked at UA South for several years and rounded off her time at the UA, serving nine and a half years at the cancer center.
Barber played a key role in the two renewals of the $15 million Cancer Center U54 Support Grant given by the National Cancer Center.
Jennifer Prissel, research administrator for the grant, said it is an inter-institutional grant from the National Cancer Institute that Barber helped renew. The grant helps both the UA and Northern Arizona University and is a five-year, $15 million dollar grant.
“Every time there was a glitch or a snag, Margie was always there to back us up,” Prissel said. “She’s really been a corner post of the cancer center and I think that is one thing we are going to miss the most from her retirement.”
Barber also served on multiple campus committees such as the Strategic Planning and Budget Advisory Committee and the Appointed Professionals Advisory Council. She was also the liaison for the Commission on the Status of Women.
Barber’s colleagues said she will be sorely missed for her service and help to those she worked with.
“We feel bad that she is leaving,” said Ritu Pandey, coordinator of biomedical informatics and co-director of informatics at the cancer center. “I’m happy she’s retiring because she is looking forward to it.”
Selin Demir, principal accountant of the business office at the center, said she worked with Barber for about a year and said she enjoyed working with her because of all the knowledge she imparted on her colleagues.
“She’s a very nice person, very knowledgeable and an institutional knowledge because she’s been at the university so long,” Demir said. “We’ll all miss her.”
Lynn Frazier, Barber’s assistant, said Barber helped in more ways than just what her job description entailed because she was a “jack of all trades.” She said Barber carried a huge weight on her shoulders and that her position will be hard to fill.
“My heart is breaking. I’m going to miss everyone,” Barber said. “I am honored to have worked with everyone at the university, they are a wonderful group of people.”
