WATERVILLE -- Should you schedule surgery or any other procedure at Eye Center of Central Maine, you'll be seeing a lot of Cindy Sturtevant.

Sturtevant carries the official title of lasik surgical coordinator. She sees to the needs of people who want vision correction surgery so they no longer will require eye glasses.

While ophthalmologist Peter Kohler takes care of the surgery at Eye Center of Central Maine, Sturtevant does just about everything else.

"She coordinates everything, from welcoming patients to the practice to walking people through evaluations, to scheduling the surgery and the followups," said Carol Brochu, office manager at Eye Center of Central Maine on Airport Road. "She wears a lot of hats. She helps us out where we need it."

For her efforts, Sturtevant will receive the Customer Service Stardom Award at the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce annual awards dinner. The award goes to people who show pride in their job, and demonstrate exceptional customer service.

The dinner is scheduled for March 26 at Grandeur Sun, off Kennedy Memorial Drive. A social hour begins at 5 p.m.

Sturtevant, 47, is an opthalmological medical assistant. Couple that with years of experience in customer service, Brochu said, and you have the whole package.

"She's somebody, if you have her, you really want to hold on to her," Brochu said.

To Sturtevant, it's Dr. Kohler who deserves the recognition.

"It's about Dr. Kohler," Sturtevant said. "He's a very talented eye surgeon, and thank goodness he allowed me to hook my wagon to him, so to speak."

A 1978 graduate of Lawrence High School, Sturtevant majored in business at Thomas College in Waterville. She worked in the same capacity for a general practitioner in Oakland before starting work with Dr. Kohler in 1993.

Health care in general, Sturtevant says, opens opportunities for people who care about people.

"I really, really like taking care of people," she said. "I found out that health care is the way for me to do that. I have to be with people. It has to be a customer-service type of thing, and with health care you can."

Patients go to the Eye Center on an elective basis, Sturtevant pointed out. They want surgery so that they will no longer have to wear glasses, or contact lenses.

She enjoys the fact that Dr. Kohler and his staff are making people happy.

"They're buying a service, and are shopping around," she said. "I'm there for them right from the beginning. I'm with them when they're prepping on the day of the surgery and keep in contact a year afterward. We keep them in our lives. They end up being like family."

Kimberly Lindlof, Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce president, noted that Sturtevant also was nominated last year for the Customer Service Stardom Award.

"She is the kind of person you want working for your business," Lindlof said. "She is a great promoter."

Lindlof said Sturtevant is modest about her personal achievements. But there is another side to her.

"With people and customers, she's very outgoing," Lindlof said.

Sturtevant lives in Oakland with her husband, Craig.

Larry Grard -- 474-9534, Ext. 343

lgrard@centralmaine.com