Last week, the All Staff Council Recognition Committee awarded two ‘Called to be True Blue’ awards: One to Brenda McNear, facilities support specialist, and the other to the entire Facilities Planning and Management (FPM) team. Brenda and the FPM team were nominated by John Edwards, associate dean for information resources and technology, Drake Law School. Read the good things John had to say:

Brenda McNear

“Brenda McNear is much like a 911 dispatcher. She can quickly assess the magnitude of a problem so that the most serious ones can be addressed quickly. She does a wonderful job in managing the multitude of requests that cross her desk, and ensures that even the most routine matters receive the attention they need. I know there are times when dealing with HVAC that she must wonder if she is dealing with “The Three Bears” since someone is always “too hot” and another is “too cold,” while no one seems “just right.”

Facilities Planning and Management

“The entire FPM team is True Blue. They do phenomenal work to “save” a situation and seldom get the credit they deserve. It seems that every day someone from FPM is filling a critical need. Some illustrations of this include:

• An outlet goes bad so an administrative assistant has no power to his/her computer and Ron gets it fixed the same day.
• The Won fire doors malfunction with continuous beeping and Ron, Scott, and Terry work until the problem is solved.
• Doors fall off the hinges and Eric gets them back on and is proactive in anticipating problems.
• Grounds gets a bird’s nest off a fire alarm by Law Review.
• Mitch and Tammy’s folks quickly respond when spills or other calamities need attention.
• Tom spends hours working on a clogged drain until it is clear.

Again, the items above are illustrations, since if I tried to list all the good work FPM does, it would be too many pages long. In summary, the FPM folks I work with on a regular basis are great. We wouldn’t have been able to complete our summer projects without the help from Jolene and many others. Whether we are working with managers like Manny or Michelle, or anyone up and down the chain, their commitment is clear.”

—Ellen Lowe, Rec Services/All Staff Council