Our client is one of the nation’s leading research institutions. They needed a facilities professional to replace a 30-year veteran at the institution as his retirement was approaching. While respectful of the incumbent’s tenure and contributions to the institution, the client envisioned this significant change as an opportunity to introduce new processes, initiatives, and ideas through the hiring of a visionary leader who would be cognizant of the existing staff’s history and energize them to embrace the changes to come. The candidate had to bring sophistication to the operation of world-class facilities, as well as fit in with an extremely diverse and culturally responsive community.
Upon meeting with the Vice President with whom we would work on the search, it was understood that the candidate needed to be results-driven and have an operations/management background to implement new initiatives. Our client’s long-term goal was to become an international leader in more than two dozen sectors, including health, agriculture, computing, and education. Therefore, they needed someone who had experience working on a large, public campus and strategic vision to support them in achieving their goals.
The successful candidate was the Director of Facilities Operations for a major Mid-Atlantic university where he was in charge of the maintenance operations; co-generation power plant; energy management and GIS programs; and the custodial, groundskeeping, and electrical services of more than 2,600 acres and 125 buildings. Our client selected this individual based on his 30 years of experience and also his adaptive, innovative, and directive management style. They felt he would promote the strategic vision of the university, and motivate and empower his team to perform to their utmost potential.
In follow-up conversations with our client, they indicate how pleased they are with the individual’s performance and the impact he has made thus far. His accomplishments include: