Jerry Pafford prefers to stay in the background.

"I like being the guy behind the curtain making sure that those out front look good," he said. "I don't care to be in the limelight."

The business manager for nursing at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center was in the spotlight recently, however, when he was recognized as its employee of the year for 2009.

"It was a real honor," he said. "Sometimes when you are in the background doing things, you wonder if people notice. Now I know people have noticed that I'm back there, and they know I got their back. I'm there to support them so they can do what they need to do."

Mr. Pafford's tasks include administrative reports, equipment orders, space allocations and direct work with five associate nurse executives.

He is also the webmaster for the hospital's intranet and external Web site.

"I was never really appointed that job; it was just something that happened over time," he said. "I picked up little things over the years, and eventually I became the go-to person."

He also volunteers often on committees for hospital events and programs and is a former president of the hospital's Employee Association.

"I get to do a lot of different things," he said. "I like that I have a job where I can dabble in a variety of things."

Though he doesn't have direct contact with veterans, he still has a role in their care, he said.

"This is where I can do my part in taking care of the veterans. I'm the administrative side that helps the clinical side get their job done," he said. "If I do everything I can for the people I work with in support of what they're doing, then I'm doing everything I can for veterans."

PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE MONTH: JERRY PAFFORD

FAMILY: Wife, Cindy, and daughter, Meaghan, 22

DEPARTMENT: Nursing Service Line at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center

POSITION: Business manager

YEARS IN POSITION: Seven

YEARS WITH THE VA: 36