FACILITIES FOCUSMay/June 2012

Building awareness

WHAT WE DO at the phys plant

COVER PHOTO | Building awareness |(From left) Media and Communications Assistant II Taylor Hajek, Visual Communications Specialist Kayla Riis, Former Engineering Student Ross Klein, MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, Captain Construction, Digital Content Strategist Holly Balentine and Technical Assistant I Camille Lefevre pose at the third annual Construction Awareness Day.

COVER STORY | Construction Awareness Day | 2MSU students and faculty and staff alike had their photos taken with Captain Construction and received promotional items, including sunglasses, Frisbees and buttons.

FEATURE | Service recognition awards |3-6MSU recognizes employees for their outstanding dedication and continued service to the University.

AT A GLANCE | Summer construction | 7-8Take a look at campus construction set to take place this summer.

AROUND THE ‘PHYS’ | Student success stories | 9-10Learn how the Physical Plant prepares student employees with real-world work experiences.

CAREERS | 11

KUDOS | 12-14

Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand StrategyCover photo by Karen Zelt

FACILITIES FOCUS

pp.msu.edu | twitter: MSUPhysPlant | find us on facebook | youtube.com/PhysicalPlantMSUP

This newsletter is printed with soy ink on 100 percent recycled paper (100 percent post-consumer). Please recycle in “Mixed” recycling bins.

Facilities Focus is published for all Physical Plant employees. It is also distributed to campus customers and key business contacts.

Our goal is to recognize the Physical Plant staff’s accomplishments and activities. If you have questions, comments or corrections, contact us at communications@pplant.msu.edu or via phone at 517-432-3629 or 517-432-0235.To receive an electronic notice for each issue, subscribe to

our list serv: e-mail listserv@list.msu.edu with “SUBSCRIBE PHYSPLANT-NEWS <your name here>” in the body of the message.

Summer construction season is here

AT A GLANCE

Page 7

EDITORWill Whelton

STUDENT EDITORTaylor Hajek

DESIGNERKayla Riis

presentations of projects. To learn more about the listserv, Construction Junction, or projects in general, visit construction.msu.edu.

To top the event off, Lou Anna K. Simon, president of MSU, stopped by for a photo with Captain Construction and some Physical Plant employees working the event.

With a distribution of more than 600 promotional items, successfully answered inquiries, and a visit from MSU’s most prominent figure, the third annual Construction Awareness Day was a success.

ON THE COVER

Stay up-to-date on construction projects at:construction.msu.edu

Captain Construction saves the day, again!

Captain Construction put on his cape once again for the annual Construction Awareness Day

event that took place in front of the MSU Auditorium on April 26. This year, the campus community was invited to the event to learn more about projects impacting campus while receiving construction-themed freebies like Frisbees, buttons and sunglasses.

It was three years ago that Karen Zelt, communications manager at the Physical Plant, challenged her student employees to think of an innovative way to reach out to students about construction projects around campus and the construction resources available to them.

“Our projects cause a lot of impacts to the campus community, which we acknowledge. We want to let people know that there are various ways to get information about these impacts in advance,” said Zelt.

The students came up with Construction Awareness Day, a half-day event where Physical Plant student employees hand out free promotional items featuring information about construction resources, while sharing details about construction happening around campus. Also created by the students was Captain Construction, the Physical Plant’s very own mascot that emerges only for Construction Awareness Day.

Phys Plant construction mascot coaches campus customers Story by Taylor Hajek

Michelle McCormick, communications and public relations student aide, coordinated this year’s event. “We had students stop and ask specific questions as these construction projects impact a lot of students whether they are walking, biking or driving in the area under construction,” said McCormick.

A student who attended this year’s event, Molly Bond, acknowledges the impact these activities have on her daily routine. “I lived in Landon Hall this past year, and the construction on West Circle had a big impact on me. Sometimes there would be a lot of traffic, causing the buses to run a bit slower. It’s good to know there are resources that can help me avoid any problems I might encounter in terms of construction,” says Bond.

Students like Bond are the reason that Construction Awareness Day continues. “It’s all about getting the word out about the construction resources available to the campus community, particularly students, who are a harder audience to reach with this type of information,” said Zelt.

Students can join the construction listserv which sends e-mails to alert recipients of projects and detours. There is also a public meeting held once a month called Construction Junction where construction representatives give detailed

Created for MSU visitors and neighbors, students, faculty and staff, this site is designed to:

• Help inform about upcoming construction projects and their impacts;

• Help navigate campus during construction projects that impact their daily lives;

• Explain what goes into designing and constructing projects and the corresponding approval processes;

• Offer an opportunity to comment on upcoming projects and ask questions.

Let us point you in the right

direction!

FEATURE

FACILITIES FOCUS

MSU presents its Service Recognition Awards to employees after they have completed 15 years of service and every five years following that milestone. We interviewed those Phys Planters celebrating more than 35 years to hear about their experiences and reflections. By Taylor Hajek Note: some employees declined to be interviewed

June Messner

Marla Pancost

Edward Woods

Dennis Bennett

James Burns Jr.

William Harder

Jacob Janetzke

S. Doug Katt

Tom Stanton

David Franco

Ed Gonzalez

Robert Guernsey

Roland Hensley

James Kane

Pamela Redburn

AWARDING DECADES OF SERVICE

50 YEARS

45 YEARS

40 YEARS

35 YEARS

30 YEARS

25 YEARS

Robert Adams

Thomas Anderson

William Behnke

Thomas Bemrose

Brian Billeter

Randy Boutell

Angela Carey

Gregory Cushion

Kevin Dickerson

Jeffrey Dollarhite

Clarence Dottery

Scott Gardner

Raymond Hart

Deborah Hettinger

David Howe

James ‘Dave’ Jones

Deborah Kinney

Scott Kummer

Scott Kyes

Mary Beth LaForgia

William Lakos

Joseph Martin

Donald Michael

Douglas Nurenberg

James Pease

Claude Phelps

John Phillipich

Gerard Psujek

Budd Pulver

May/June 2012 | 4

MSU presents its Service Recognition Awards to employees after they have completed 15 years of service and every five years following that milestone. We interviewed those Phys Planters celebrating more than 35 years to hear about their experiences and reflections. By Taylor Hajek Note: some employees declined to be interviewed

AWARDING DECADES OF SERVICESERVICE

RECOGNITION

AWARDS

20 YEARS

15 YEARS

Bradley Bull

Kevin Cater

Mary Clark

Gale Crandall

Sandra Dickerson

Lois Diehl

Patrick ‘Jim’ Edgecomb

Roy Feldpausch

Bruce Fletcher

Casey Fox

Donald Fuller

Emma Garza

Salvatore ‘Mike’ Giovanni

Curtis Glast

George Goerge

Alan Grill

Mary Infante

Kenneth King

Melvin ‘Earl’ King

Carol Lake

Corey Sanders

Larry Schneider

Dale Seddon

Laura Smith

Timothy Stokes

Phyllis Thorn

Teresa Torres

Darlene Westrate

Darius Bradley

Richard Carroll

Kirk Hyde

Ronald Lewis

Martin Martinez

Nancy Sehlke

Anna Siegel

Ernest Tisdale

Carmen Trowbridge

Roger Thelen

David Townshend

Keith Traver

Susan Velianoff

Karon Wood

JIM BURNS EQUIPMENT OPERATOR—LANDSCAPE SERVICES

WILLIAM HARDER COMMISSIONING PLANNER/INSPECTOR/ANALYST—BUILDING SERVICES

MARLA PANCOST ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT II—DIVISION SUPPORT SERVICES

How long have you worked here? I have worked at the Physical Plant for more than 40 years.

What is your greatest memory with the Physical Plant? The day I was able to join with and help site construction crew to transplant a large copper beech tree from Beaumont Nursery to the MSU Radiology Department. That was somewhere in the neighborhood of a 14–hour day.

How has your job changed since you started working here? I spent quite a few years on the tree crew working in the Arboriculture portion of Landscape Services.

What do you do when you’re not here?My wife and I like to travel, visit our children and spend time with the grandkids.

How long have you worked here? I have been working on campus for 35 years. I worked in Housing and Food Service, now known as Residential and Hospitality Services, for the first seven years and have been at the Physical Plant for the last 28 years.

What is your greatest memory with the Physical Plant? The friendly day-to-day interactions with co-workers will always be appreciated and remembered.

How has your job changed since you started working here? New technologies, although at times challenging, have made the positions that I have held more enjoyable.

What do you do when you’re not here?I enjoy spending time with my wife and family, golfing and vegetable gardening.

How long have you worked here? I have worked 45 years on campus, with 38 of those years at Physical Plant.

What is your greatest memory with the Physical Plant? The support and help Physical Plant employees give each other. Since I started working here, I’ve lost my mom, dad, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister, brother and husband. Someone has always been there no matter the distance or time.

How has your job changed since you started working here? There sure wasn’t a computer on my desk with dual screens and a printer. I actually used a typewriter and carbon paper when sending a memo to more than one person. The payroll, absence and personnel records were all recorded and totaled by hand, and the Division and telephone bills were sent to customers by campus mail. If there was a billing question, I looked it up on my copy of their statement. Now both statements are available online, most questions come in by e-mail and I can carbon copy as many people as I want. What do you do when you’re not here?I like watching my bird feeders and identifying the species, playing golf and spending time on my personal computer playing games and shopping online.

FACILITIES FOCUS

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May/June 2012 | 6

This year marks the 50th year of service at MSU for June Messner, office assistant III. She began her career with the Physical Plant at the age of 18 when she became employed by the then Buildings and Grounds, working for 11 years

before taking a break to raise her two children. Once they had graduated high school, Messner was asked to come back to work, as secretaries were in demand. She started full-time again in 1978 and has been at the Physical Plant ever since.

Messner and her family are MSU through and through. Her mother worked for the University in the telephone office and was the one that recommended Messner for the job at Buildings and Grounds. Messner and was offered the job the very same day. Messner’s husband and children also worked for the Physical Plant. Her

husband worked in maintenance for 40 years and both her sons worked while working toward their degrees at MSU.

Being here 50 years, Messner has seen some major changes to the Physical Plant. “It has changed drastically since I began working here, which you would expect over time,” said Messner.

“When I first started working here, it was Building and Grounds, and then shortly after that, it was changed to Buildings and Utilities. We had different shops than we do today, we had the custodial shop, electric shop, paint shop, carpentry shop, plumbing shop and power plant,” she said.

When asked the biggest change she has experienced at the Physical Plant, Messner said, “When we switched over to Enterprise Business System just over a year ago.” Other notable changes include the transformation of technology, when she first started working she used a typewriter. She remembers the first office computer,

“We called it a word processor and it was a huge thing.”In her spare time, Messner said she and her husband are quite the sports fans.

Over the years, she has enjoyed watching various Spartan teams play on their home field. “I used to come to all the football games when I first started working here; I’ve always loved football. For many years, we had season tickets on the 45-yard line,” said Messner. She also enjoys watching high school sports—one of her sons is a football coach and two of her granddaughters play volleyball.

Gus Gosselin, director of Building Services and Messner’s supervisor, said, “June is an asset to the department. She has a wonderful disposition and gets along with everyone.”

Messner said she enjoys the camaraderie at the Physical Plant: “I like working at the Physical Plant because I like the people and I wouldn’t want to work in an office where you wouldn’t see anybody.”

years of service June Messner reflects on her Physical Plant career

Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy

To view additional reflections from Messner’s co-workers visit: pp.msu.edu/messner

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Olin Health Center

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Auditorium

Berkey

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Spartan Stadium

Hannah Administration

Main Library

IM Sports Circle

JenisonField House

Music Building

MSU Museum

MSU Union

IM Sports West

Munn Ice Arena

Breslin Center

Kellogg Center

Comm. Arts and Sciences

Kresge Art Museum

Natural Science

Plant Biology

Veterinary Medical Center

LifeScience

Clinical Center

Wharton Center

Cyclotron

Food Stores

Surplus Store and Recycling

Center

FACILITIES FOCUS

AT A GLANCE

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Campus construction continues this summer

1. West Circle Steam Loop ProjectThis project will replace the deteriorating north campus arch steam tunnels and includes the installation of a new steam distribution loop around West Circle. The project will occur in four segments spanning the summers of 2012 to 2015, with the 2012 segment featuring four phases.

2. Chestnut Road Steam ProjectThis project is located southwest of the IM West Building, along Chestnut Road, in the athletic and recreation district. It involves the replacement of the existing direct-buried steam and condensate return lines with new lines in a steam crawl tunnel, along with the reconstruction of Chestnut Road.

3. FRIB Utility Relocation—Phase 2Construction is scheduled to commence in 2012 on the primary building for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Prior to start of this work, the University must relocate utilities to support FRIB in a manner that manages potential timing and staging conflicts between these utility requirements and the ongoing Cyclotron High-Bay addition.

4. Bott Building/Life Science AdditionThe Bott Building for Nursing Education and Research is located on Bogue Street south of Service Road in the south academic district. This project involves a three-story, 50,000-gross-square-foot building that will link to the existing Life Science Building.

5. Harrison Road Reconstruction—East Lansing ProjectThe 2012 Harrison Road reconstruction project includes the reconstruction of the roadway from Trowbridge Road to Mount Hope Road, located on the west side of Michigan State University’s campus. The completed road will have the same lane configuration as the current roadway.

6. Armstrong and Bryan Halls RenovationArmstrong and Bryan halls, located on the west side of Brody Neighborhood, are the fourth and fifth residence halls to be renovated in the complex. Improvements to both buildings will include the addition of common spaces to both A and B wings, glass “curtain wall” features and artwork, meditation and fitness rooms, third-floor kitchen/dining areas and accessible entrances.

VISIT CONSTRUCTION.MSU.EDU FOR DETOUR MAPS

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RED CEDAR ROAD

GRAND RIVER AVENUE

MICHIGAN AVENUE

KALAMAZOO STREET

WILSON ROAD

SOUTH SHAW LANE

WEST CIRCLE DRIVE

NORTH SHAW LANE

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N. CRESCENT ROAD

S. CRESCENT ROAD

AUDITORIUM ROAD

TROWBRIDGE ROAD

Du�y Daugherty Building

Olin Health Center

CaseWonders

Auditorium

Berkey

Armstrong

Bailey Emmons

Bryan

Rather Butterfield

Wilson

Engineering

Holden

Physical Plant

Spartan Stadium

Hannah Administration

Main Library

IM Sports Circle

JenisonField House

Music Building

MSU Museum

MSU Union

IM Sports West

Munn Ice Arena

Breslin Center

Kellogg Center

Comm. Arts and Sciences

Kresge Art Museum

Natural Science

Plant Biology

Veterinary Medical Center

LifeScience

Clinical Center

Wharton Center

Cyclotron

Food Stores

Surplus Store and Recycling

Center

May/June 2012 | 8

CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES

MSU construction websiteconstruction.msu.edu

Construction JunctionSecond Thursday of every month at 8:30 a.m. Check the MSU construction website for room locations and agendas.

Facebookfacebook.com/MSUPhysicalPlant

Twittertwitter.com/MSUPhysPlant

YouTubeyoutube.com/PhysicalPlantMSU

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AROUND THE ‘PHYS’

FACILITIES FOCUS

PHYS PLANTPREPARES STUDENTS

FOR WORKFORCE

When looking for jobs after graduation, MSU students will be asked what experience they have that will help them succeed. Student employees at the Physical Plant are prepared to answer that question as their work here has helped them apply what they learn in the

classroom to real-world situations. With the experience the Phys Plant provides, Phys Plant students have been, and will continue to be, successful. Story by Taylor Hajek

student of the year: terry pearson

Terry Pearson, Physical Plant student employee as part of the electrical

services crew, won the 2011 Academic/Leadership Student of the Year Award from the Electrical Technology program in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.

Joe Ellsworth, electrician II, who oversaw Pearson during his time at the Physical Plant said, “The Electrical Technology Academic/Leadership Award is given to one student each year by the students and faculty of the Electrical Technology program in recognition of high scholastic achievement, leadership and enthusiastic interest in the field of electrical technology.”

Pearson, who worked as an electrical apprentice at the Physical Plant for just under two years, credits his Physical Plant work with helping him win the award.

“The work at the Physical Plant coincided with what I was learning in school. My work was definitely important in helping me understand what I was learning,” said Pearson.

The requirements for winning the award are a 3.0 GPA and a completed internship. Pearson met

both requirements, completing his internship with the Physical Plant.

Once a student has met both requirements, he or she must be voted on by peers in his or her field of study. In order to be considered, a participant must show some sort of leadership amongst the other students.

Ellsworth said Pearson was the “go-to guy” during labs with his fellow students mostly due to his work with the Physical Plant. “He was exposed to a wide variety of jobs along with his classroom learning that gave him a lot of real-world knowledge and experience,” said Ellsworth.

While his work for the Physical Plant may have helped him with experience, that’s not the only reason Pearson is so successful. “Terry is a quick learner, eager to face new experiences and learn from them. He is resourceful and hardworking, able to find solutions to complete his projects in a timely and workmanlike manor,” said Ellsworth.

Pearson now works for Systems Control in Iron Mountain, Mich., as an electrical testing engineer. He believes that his work at the Physical Plant helped him land the job. His Phys Plant co-workers supported him with enthusiasm, and the hands-on work that he was able to do at the Physical Plant cannot be learned from a textbook.

“The work at the Physical Plant coincided with what I was learning in school. My work was definitely important in helping me understand what I was learning.”

—Terry Pearson, former Physical Plant student employee

May/June 2012 | 10

big league landscaping

Christian Zummer, former seasonal gardener’s aide at Landscape Services, credits

his work as an undergraduate with helping him obtain the job of his dreams: landscaping for a Major League Baseball team. Zummer, who graduated from MSU in December 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture and a Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems specialization, is currently employed at Miller Stadium, home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

“To qualify for the job, a horticulture degree was required, so in that regard, I was no different from the other candidate. What really made the difference was the experience that I had,” said Zummer. Zummer started working for Landscape Services in May 2010 and left in February 2012.

Zummer worked with gardeners who had been in the business for many years, an opportunity that allowed him to expand his skill set. “I really lucked out, because every gardener I worked for had at least 25 years of experience on campus, which was really great for me,” said Zummer.

Fred Kester,Landscape Services coordinator and Zummer’s supervisor, said, “I believe his position helped him. We have a campus that is known for its beauty, for its plant variety, for a lot of open green spaces.” With his experience of maintaining such a large span of land at MSU, Zummer feels very prepared to work at Miller Stadium.

“Working at the stadium, up to 35,000 people can be at a game. Working around that many people can be a shock, and if you’ve never done that before, it can take a while to get used to. It’s all about experience, and Landscape Services gave me that experience,” said Zummer.

Zummer’s story is one example of MSU’s goal as a land-grant institution: using the research and skills taught to benefit the larger community. He said, “The most valuable thing I learned during my time at Landscape Services was how to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to the actual landscape.”

students help design commemorative site

Aside from on-campus jobs and internships, there are many other real-world experience

opportunities available. Students in MSU’s Landscape Architecture program took an active role in designing a commemorative space for one of the oldest and most historic buildings on MSU’s campus.

Every other year, the Landscape Architecture program hosts a charette, which is an intense design session. The Morrill Hall commemorative site was selected as the subject of the charette for its relevance. Third-, fourth- and fifth-year students were allowed to participate in teams to come up with a winning design.

Three of the participants are student employees at the Physical Plant: Technical Assistant Is Jessica Pilon, Ian Antoniolli and Jonathan Doherty. The students are all in the Landscape Architecture program and work in the Engineering and Architectural Services department.

The students were prepared for the charette not only because of the classes they have taken at MSU, but also because of their experiences

working at the Physical Plant.Deb Kinney, landscape architect

III, graduated from MSU and now mentors students as they take an active role in the development of site construction documents.

“Our office is like a small landscape architecture firm that has one big client: the campus. And we do real projects, real construction projects. [The students] carry out construction drawings, field-work and record keeping for these projects,” said Kinney.

“This is a great job; we get a lot of real-world experience working with vendors, contractors and consultants. We learn a lot that is not covered in the classes,” said Antoniolli. This experience helped Antoniolli, as his charette design placed third and went on to be refined by a landscape architecture class.

“It is a really great opportunity for us as evolving designers to learn and grow,” said Pilon regarding her work for the Physical Plant.

The work done by the students will be very useful in their future endeavors in trying to get jobs.

“The students get fantastic jobs as a result of the professional work they do for the campus at Physical Plant. Local design firms call and inquire about our graduating students,” said Kinney.

(From Left) Technical Assistant Is Jonathan Doherty, Ian Antoniolli and Jessica Pilon work on a design for the Morrill Hall commemorative site.

Photo by Taylor Hajek

FACILITIES FOCUS

CAREERS

On April 28, Phys Plant employees were invited to bring their children for Take Your Child to Work Day. Karen Zelt, communications manager, gave

a presentation to the children about the Phys Plant and the work their parents do here. The children received goodie bags and participated in a Phys Plant trivia game hosted by Clerical Assistant IIs Hannah Abdelaziz and Katherine Noren, from the Phys Plant Human Resources office. Attendees were then able to tour Munn Ice Arena, led by Tom Campbell in MSU Athletics, and Beaumont Nursery, led by Jay Andrews, nursery technician. On April 29, Custodial Services and second-shift operations employees and their children enjoyed an evening barbecue. Both groups of children were given the opportunity to job shadow their parents afterward.

Take Your Child to Work Day is an annual event that allows children to learn from their parents in the workplace.

Phys Plant parents bring children to workMini-Phys Planters took over on April 28 and April 29 as the Physical Plant took part in the annual Take Your Child to Work Day. Story by Taylor Hajek

MemorialsRemembering Physical Plant employees

Basil Charles Piper passed away at age 85 on Feb. 14. Piper retired from the Physical Plant after 42 years of service as a carpenter I.

Kenneth Robert “Bob” Metz passed away at age 71 on Feb. 24. Bob worked at the Physical Plant for 23 years as a skilled trades supervisor.

New Hires | Promotions | Retirees*As of June 11, 2012

New HiresDakharai Aldrich, information technologist IMichael Alvarado, preventive maintenance workerCatherine Bird, custodian IAaron Burgess, custodian IEugene Case, automotive mechanic IDavid Cavanaugh, custodian IRyan Channell, electrician IMaureen Cullen, administrative assistant IClayton Duel, electrician IHoward Ehresman, preventive maintenance workerCraig Fedewa, HVAC mechanic IKelly Feister, operations coordinatorMichelle Knight, administrative assistant IAngela Laferriere, operations coordinatorBrian McCarthy, custodian IBrian McDonald, HVAC mechanic IMichael Mitchner, University events coordinatorSteve Pease, preventive maintenance workerRaul Pulido, custodian IRichard Ranney, custodian IGordon Schreerer, HVAC mechanic ISpencer Speerbrecker, electrician IBrent Weber, electrician I

PromotionsSue Alchin, skilled trades supervisor Brandon Baswell, Custodial Services managerMichael Carreri, skilled trades inspectorGeneva Christofferson, administrative assistant II/SAdam Curtis, operations supervisor IMatthew Fehrenbach, arborist IMark Geahan, skilled trades inspectorJames Goff, gardener traineeRichard Klein, operations supervisor IMichael Miller, landscape gardener IDeann Openlander, materials & logistics worker IPhillip Ramirez, elevator mechanic IKendra Schroeder, archival assistantDouglas Speight, skilled trades inspectorKristin Swartz, material & logistics worker ICarmen Trowbridge, materials & logistics worker I

RetireesKathryn Gewirtz, administrative assistant IErasmo Gonzalez, set-up worker IIMark Haslam, engineer/architect IIIScott Kummer, custodian II

Michael Endres, central control planner/inspector/analyst I, (right) poses with his daughter, who drew a picture of Physical Plant workers.

Photo by Holly Balentine

*Facilities Focus makes every effort to contact all retirees for our regular “A look back” feature.

May/June 2012 | 12

KUDOS

WELL DON

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PHYS PLANT!

KUDOS

Building Services

Assistant Vice President for the Physical Plant Ron Flinn received the following e-mail from Sharri Margraves, former RHS construction and maintenance manager, regarding Carpenter IIs Steve Rondeau and Nicholas Rowe, Trades Aide Michael Boyd, Painter II Kelly McDonough, Laborer Is Joseph Murphy, Kevin Dobbin and William Reinke:

I want to send a thank you for the beautiful tables I understand our Physical Plant carpenters constructed for Emmons Hall (from MSU trees to boot!) The students were really excited and appreciate them…and they are always in use when I am over there.

Custodial Services Manager Ted Minnick received the following e-mail from Connie Lawson, college alumni coordinator for the Eli Broad College of Business:I hope that you are getting some much deserved relief from the mad fall schedule that you kept. In that regard, let me say how much I appreciated your planning assistance and service availability during the 2011 fall football season as the Broad College hosted home-game tailgates. The faculty and alumni really appreciated the tailgates and we were able to use game dates to spotlight individual academic departments and programs.

Assistant Vice President Ron Flinn received the following e-mail from Cynthia Kranz, pharmacy technician II at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Kranz wished to send her gratitude to Ed Murphy, carpenter I, who responded to a trouble call for a door that shut fast, to the point of slamming:

Please thank your crews for being there for me again. You are all my knights coming again to rescue a lady with a service dog. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

Skilled trades supervisor Sue Alchin received the following e-mail from Dean Olson, systems administrator for the Department of Economics regarding John Kebler, refrigeration mechanic II:

The air conditioner in the server room at 218 Marshall-Adams Hall has been running flawlessly since you cleaned it out last week. I really appreciate your help in getting the unit back up and running so quickly. Thanks again for all you do!

Structural/Paint Skilled Trades Supervisor Deb Russell received the following kudo via Cindy Taphouse, university operator/dispatcher, regarding Kelly McDonough, painter II:

Service Manager III Chandos McCoy advised that the work done on the northern wall of the Sparty’s in the Main Library exceeded expectations.

Operations Supervisor I Adam Curtis received the following e-mail from Virginia Boone, library assistant III in the Physics Astronomy Library, regarding Custodian II George Baber and Garett Rogers, on-call service maintenance:

Thank you so much for cleaning the carpeting and getting my sink pearly white. When you said that you would get to the carpeting, I didn’t realize you would be able to do it so soon. It looks amazing. It makes working here much more pleasant.

Electrical Skilled Trades Supervisor John Nurenberg received the following e-mail from Andrew Mitin, greenhouse coordinator, heralding the efforts of Dan Lundquist and Eric Buckley, high voltage electrician Is:

On Nov. 6, the Plant Science Greenhouse on south complex lost power. My supervisor Dave Freville and I started a generator that ran for two hours and quit. We had to race onto campus and get another generator but we didn’t know how to wire it up. I called Phys Plant and two men (Dan Lundquist and Eric Buckley) came out immediately, they were there before we got back to the site! Within 15 minutes, we had our generator running. Because of their quick response and know-how, hundreds of thousands of dollars of research was saved as well as the greenhouse structure, as it relies on air pumped between two sheets of plastic.

I wanted to officially send my sincere thanks to them.

Assistant Vice President Ron Flinn received this kudo from M. Chandos McCoy, service manager III for Culinary Services Retail Operations, regarding Materials and Logistics Manager Jim Fashbaugh and his crew:

I would just like to recognize Jim and how he and his crew (Materials and Logistics Planner/Inspector/Analyst I Jim Peaney, Laborer II Rick Taylor and Laborer I Kevin Dobbin) helped us out at Sparty’s today. We had a freezer permanently break today at our Erickson location. I was able to find one to borrow from Munn Ice Arena. On short notice with about 90 minutes, his crew came and picked it up, brought it to Erickson and removed the old one. This really has become normal and expected to tell you the truth.

What I really appreciate is that Jim knocked it out on the trust that I would get him a work order immediately. Well I did not hold up my end of the bargain. Around 4:30, I got a reminder call from Jim and, rather than being upset Jim was very considerate and the way he handled my miss step helped strengthen our working relationship. It is greatly appreciated.

Once again, Physical Plant rocks!

FACILITIES FOCUS

Division Support Services

Power and Water

Administrative Assistant III Lynn Bergen received the following e-mail from Bob Patterson, chief financial officer for the Residential and Hospitality Services:

Thanks very much for your quick turnaround on the April utility e-doc billings. I was able to alert the RHS approvers and let them know the utility billings would be out on Friday, April 27. I was able to get my final e-docs approved yesterday afternoon and all made the month-end cutoff. With about a dozen approvals needed at RHS for the e-docs to be finalized, the notice really helped. I appreciate everyone at power plant helping to get these on the April ledgers.

Communications Manager Karen Zelt received the following e-mail from Dan Bollman, design administrator for Engineering and Architectural Services:

I shared the West Circle Steam Loop tri-fold with Vice President Fred Poston, Assistant Vice President Kathy Lindahl and Assistant Vice President Bill Latta yesterday, and they all thought it was extremely well done. They had many positive comments about the communication for this project and the work you do in general for Physical Plant. I just wanted to pass on the good word. Nice job!

Director of Utilities Bob Ellerhorst, received the following e-mail from Joel Hoffman, safety and health manager at Michigan Department of Management and Budget:

Thank you for allowing us to meet with Gary Mell, former performance engineer, regarding turbines, lockout procedures and other associated safety issues.

You have a great team of professionals. Gary arranged a meeting, and we were able to talk with Gary, Ron McClintic, technical supervisor, Ron Rushing, skilled trades supervisor and Andy Smith, occupational safety compliance officer.

Every member of Gary’s team provided valuable information and ideas for developing and implementing a safety program for the turbine being installed at our Energy Center. We were also provided with a tour of the T.B. Simon Power Plant, which was invaluable.

The depth of knowledge and professional expertise of Gary, Ron McClintic, Ron Rushing, and Andy showed us how much we do not know and provided us with a glimpse of the journey we have before us to even begin to approach the performance and expertise of the MSU power plant team.

Thank you again for allowing us access to the wealth of knowledge that the MSU power plant team possesses.

Landscape Services

Engineering and Architectural Services

Landscape Architect III Deborah Kinney received the following letter from Doug Boyer, president, MSU American Society of Landscape Architecture student chapter:

I’d like to thank you for your help with the Big Ten Design Charrette. Your assistance with the prep work and program elements is really appreciated. Your input and comments as part of the design jury were also invaluable.

Thanks again for your help and support!

Energy and Environmental Engineer Lynda Boomer received this kudo from Cindy Brewbaker, secretary III at the Water Research Institute:

I first wish to express my appreciation for inviting me to the Physical Plant’s first open house. From my perspective it was a rousing success! I was impressed with the organization from parking lot (literally), where I was greeted by one of your student employees, and throughout each presentation. Wish I had time to attend more.

Please extend my highest level of appreciation to all those involved with organizing the event—they did an exceptional job!

I must also say in my 28 years on campus I don’t recall ever having an unpleasant experience with folks from Physical Plant (I have often wished I was among you). So in short, thank you!

Scott Friend, planner inspector analyst II, received this true partnership recognition from Cathy Lugibihl, training program developer at Campus Living Services:

Thank you so very much for taking so much time out of your day to spend helping me get the floor plans that I needed!

Angelica Santos, accountant I, received multiple phone calls commending the efforts of Kim Consavage, grounds/site construction/group leader, Steve Hanson, laborer III and Jim Peterson, agriculture and special equipment operator, for their prompt response to complaints regarding potholes on Wilson Road.

Assistant Vice President for Administration Bill Latta received the following e-mail from Dean Sherman Garnett, James Madison College, regarding the new Case Hall dining facility:

I heard the opening went well. I also know from students and faculty that the new facility is a hit, one that will help us recruit and which will make our life much better day-to-day.

Lori Lancour (director of finance and personnel management) was regularly in the loop on all matters related to construction and planning. We had the flexibility during the summer to work from home or at other sites when the construction was at its heaviest. While I am not seeking to live through massive construction projects every year, I think your people did a great job with both the final product and the process of getting to the final product. I don’t know whether we will become as popular as Brody with outsiders, but it is certainly a hit within the complex.

Social Media

SALUTESWe are using social media to keep students, faculty and staff abreast of all things Physical Plant. Visit our Phys Plant pages on:

facebook.com/MSUPhysicalPlanttwitter.com/MSUPhysPlant

youtube.com/PhysicalPlantMSU

@spartybeaumont: Check out the automatic sun shades at Wells Hall @michiganstateu cool look!

@Patience_Marie: @MSUPhysPlant very helpful! It was so frustrating yesterday, on my first day back, navigating through all of it. Thanks!

@SojoAlex: Used it today :) “@michiganstateu: Running into construction on campus? Check out @MSUPhysPlant detour maps here: construction.msu.edu

@John Caldwell: @MSUPhysPlant Construction = Progress, Love it!

@SenseOfHumerus: @MSUPhysPlant Thanks for the info - always pleased to hear about positive and thoughtful changes like that.

@nicoleiverson: @MSUPhysPlant The construction was outside of South Hubbard but I think they’re done now.. thank you so much for responding, though :)

@mikeyed: @MSUPhysPlant YOU CAN DO IT, @MICHIGANSTATEU!!!

@CleanEnergyGuy: Geothermal, dist solar, wind, biomass & therm storage part of the @michiganstateu new renewable energy mix. Great progress @MSUPhysPlant

May/June 2012 | 14

The following “tweets” are taken from the Physical Plant Twitter account (@MSUPhysPlant). The bolded text are the names of theTwitter users who sent the tweets.

Telecommunication Systems

Transportation Services

Operations Manager Richard Carroll received the following e-mail from Senior Police Officer Robert Clugston:

I just wanted to thank you for all of your assistance with getting the bi-directional amplifier installed in the Breslin Center. Everything seems to be working great. And the guys from Harris Radio really appreciated the assistance of Joe Godby (telecommunications mechanic II). They said he was a tremendous asset to the whole installation process.

Darlene Westrate, bus driver/group leader received the following e-mail from Claire Brender, director of international alumni relations:

Thank you so much for all your help coordinating the bus logistics for our event yesterday. All went well, and I know Alice Noel speaks highly of you.

I wanted to drop you a note and thank you for your own involvement in the organization, and also pass along a huge note of gratitude for the kindness and professionalism of Bus Driver Daryl Smith. He was prompt, having arrived early at the pickup point, and wonderful to work with throughout the day. I could tell that the passengers enjoyed the ride and felt cared for. He was on time at each point in the departure, accommodated our impromptu needs and drove safely. At the end of the day, he waited the extra few minutes while we got ourselves settled into our cars for the drive home at the parking lot, adding the extra note of hospitality to our event that ensured its success.

Bike Service Center Manager Tim Potter received the following e-mail from Marc Bernstein, associate professor, Hebrew, regarding John Bieda, laborer II:

I just wanted to write to let you know how satisfied I am with the recent major service performed on my bicycle, a Dahon Speed P8 folding bike. Your head mechanic, John, was extremely thoughtful in how he approached repairing the bike and when inspecting new parts, was considerate of a budget. The work was carried out flawlessly, and with its expanded gear range supplied by the new rear cassette, the bike rides even better than when new. John also pointed out a crack in the headset that had gone unnoticed by me and probably by other mechanics who had worked on the bike.

Thanks for the wonderful service. It’s great to have a shop on campus—one with reasonable prices and mechanical expertise.

Director of Utilities Bob Ellerhorst received the following e-mail from Debby Kenrick, MSU purchasing agent:

Dan Hale, power plant mechanic III, is to be commended. He is efficient, explains and documents most all the requisitions he processes and he goes beyond to provide background information between the old and new system. He truly makes my job easier and I think you should know that. Kudos go out to all that helped and instructed Dan to be resourceful!

On April 20, the Physical Plant Division hosted an Energy Open House to show how the Division works to support the University’s energy initiatives. There were many energy-related “hot topic” presentations, building tours, giveaways and refreshments. All activities were focused on campus initiatives to be green and many offered tips on how to be more energy-efficient in the workplace.

Check out the photo gallery on the features page of the Physical Plant website, pp.msu.edu, to see snapshots from just a few of the great presentations at the Energy Open House!

ENERGY OPEN HOUSE GALLERY

Physical Plant DivisionPhysical Plant Building1147 Chestnut Road Room 119East Lansing, MI 48824