Physical Plant Kudos

Physical Plant Kudos
To Pam Monn and the Landscape Team, Rosemary
Hassay wrote: This is just a quick note to let you know
that the grounds around UMass look outstanding! The
addition of urns with various plants in them are a great
addition to this entire campus. And I know that you
have put mums around on previous years, but this year
the way that you and your staff have positioned them
they look really, really nice. As always, you and your
staff do a great job in making our campus look good.
But recently, the added touch that you and your staff
have done have made our campus look outstanding. A
special thank you to you and your staff for all that you
do.”
Jim Antonovitch, Work Mgmt Manager F&CS, wrote
to thank Maintainer Karma Sherab for trash removal
and a nicely vacuumed rug. Greatly appreciated!
Joe Galica, Amanda Zera and Scott Thornton received
thanks from Francis Fortino who thanked them “for a
wonderful cleanup job in Dickinson 210.” “This
morning bright and early the place was spotless and
we were able to get most of the computers, etc. in and
hooked up. You were awesomely up to the task. I
said hallelujah ten times and thank you 20 more!”
Regarding
Homecoming,
Michael
Dufresne of
Waste
Management
thanks Ray LaClaire and Landscape staff as well as
Bob Barnicle and the Construction Services crew for a
job well done! They made quick work of what
appeared to be a monstrous job of cleaning up after the
Minute Fan way tailgating event. Great Teamwork!
Roberta Armenti of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library
thanked Phil Sawicki for cleaning up a sewage backup in the lobby. He and Maintainer Karcho Palmo “did
an amazing amount of work cleaning up and
disinfecting the area, including the elevators, custodial
closet and entrance rug. William Jerome from
Watchtour resolved a very difficult clog that prevented
another spill. We were very grateful for everyone's
help and how well everyone worked together! Thank
you.”
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Peggy March of Human Resources wrote:
“complimenting you, and your Landscape Services
staff on how beautiful the campus looks. The planters
coming up Mass Ave and are spectacular!”
Farshid Harjir of Mathematics wrote about a very
strong and unpleasant odor in both the copier room
and in the large conference area (1634) of LGRT.
“Our Business Manager Phil Szczepanski happened to
run into John Hayes who is a plumber in our Building
and mentioned the problem to him. Mr. Hayes located
the source of the problem quickly and fixed the
plumbing in question: the odor is now gone. We really
appreciated Mr.Hayes' problem-solving attitude, and
skill!”
Jeanne wrote to thank the entire Physical Plant for
helping to make New Student Orientation program and
U Fest a success.
Gaye Reinhold of Residential Life thanks Mike
Dufresne for “superb” communication around
planning and scheduling and responding to requests. In
addition, the Waste Mgmt drivers themselves were
friendly and helpful. Kudos to Lamont Allen, Bob
Beaulieu, Steve Berg, Bill
Beynor, Rob Czech, Ray
Hennessey, Rob Kirley, Norm
Mackiewicz, Dale Parsons,
Dennis Purdy, Michael Strong,
Carl Tudryn and Steve Zilinski.
Ted Mone, Associate Director of Facilities Operations
for Residential Life, wrote to extend “large thanks” to
the Physical Plant crew for their efforts this on MoveIn Weekend. They worked hard to remove large piles
of cardboard left behind from Move-In. Their
collaboration and cooperation with my staff is much
appreciated. In Waste Mgmt: Allen, Lamont;
Beaulieu, Bob; Berg, Steve; Beynor, Bill; Czech, Rob;
Hennessey, Ray; Kirley, Robert; Mackiewicz, Norm;
Parsons, Dale; Purdy, Dennis; Strong, Michael;
Tudryn, Carl; Zilinski, Steve. In Moving Svcs:
Bishop, Leon; Coffey, Brian; Culver, Ron; Henderson,
Hollis; Ligus, Joe; In IPF, Adamski, Nick; Boudreau,
Harold; Smiaroski, Neal
UMASS Amherst Phys Plant, 360 Campus Center Way, Amherst, MA 01003
OCT 2014
Physical Plant Kudos
Dan Pepin of the Dept. of Environmental Conservation
in Holdsworth Hall wrote to thank Donald Crutchie for
installing an electrical panel system without any snags.
“We appreciate Don's professionalism and ability to
get the job done in a timely manner.”
Dan Ziemba, Maintainer, was thanked by Jennifer
Blake, Lab Manager in Elab I, for exceptional and
attentive work.
Yi Li Chen earned Kudos from Jim Neeley of IT for a
a beautiful job cleaning and buffing floors.
Dan Pepin also thanks Maintainers Paul Jones, Ziuhua
Mu, Xiao Wei Li, and Vanna Kong for a terrific job on
the floors in Holdsworth, noting they made extra effort
and worked around a large piece of equipment.
Jeff Cox, Chair of the Dept. of Music & Dance, wrote
to thank Peter McKemmie Vo Kong, Les Wozniak,
and Raj Shahi for beautifully polished floors in the
Music Wing!
Pamela Rooney, Assistant Director, Campus Planning,
wrote with appreciation to Gary Glazier and the
Landscape Staff. “I know
everyone has done loads of work
– both indoors and outside in
preparation for start of the
academic year. I keep forgetting
to tell you that the campus is
looking really trim and ship-shape
these days!”
Alison Bardwell wrote to thank
some Alterations employees for
their efforts in room 443: Cliff
Bowen, Bill Thompson, Chris
Thornton, Jon Berube, Tom
Hresko. Well done.
Dan Ziemba and Terry Martinbeault (Maintainers)
earned Kudos from Alan Rakouskas, Professional
Tech. MIE Department, Gunness Lab, for consistently
outstanding performance and excellent
communication.
Tony Mazzeo from Waltham Center called to thank
the Lockshop, especially Marsha Lussier and Sonya
Fernandez, CSR, for all their help resolving a lock/key
situation.
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Karima Rizk, Office Mgr. in Judaic and Near Eastern
Studies, wrote to thank Marsha Lussier for resolving a
complex key order. She was patient and efficient and
demonstrated personal responsibility and
professionalism. “It’s easy to overlook people who go
above and beyond, and I thought it was important to
share my positive experience of Marsha!”
Dan Pepin of 206 Holdsworth Hall wrote to thank
Teresa Fydenkevez and the Maintainers for a beautiful
job addressing a
last-minute
request.
Eddie Hull,
Student Affairs
and Campus
Life, thanked
Jan Powers for
“extra efforts”
on a Friday
afternoon to
insure that
offensive
graffiti was
removed
promptly.
Thanks to Todd Cournoyer and Gary Glazier for
making it happen.
John Mathews of Design and Construction Mgmt.
wrote to thank Bob Ouellette, Jim Warren, Dave
Schoen, Al Ohlson, Jon Guiel, Ken Rodak, and Jerry
Martin for expertise and cooperative team work on the
midnight to dawn shift at the July 28-29 Lincoln
Campus Center utilities shutdown.
UMASS Amherst Phys Plant, 360 Campus Center Way, Amherst, MA 01003
OCT 2014
Physical Plant Kudos
Danielle Kovacs of the W.E.B. DuBois Library wrote
to thank Jeff Duga, Maintainer, for his extraordinary
efforts in keeping up with lots of trash and cardboard
recyclables. He keeps the space “neat and tidy” and his
exceptional service is always performed with a smile!
Gary Glazier and Bob Barnicle received Kudos from
Tom Fydenkevez of the Utilities Dept, for raising the
sewer manhole cover in front of the Mullins Center.
Czech, Rob; Hennessey, Ray; Kirley, Robert;
Mackiewicz, Norm; Parsons, Dale; Purdy, Dennis;
Strong, Michael; Tudryn, Carl; Zilinski, Steve.
Dan Pepin wrote to thank Teresa Fydenkevez’s
Maintainers crew for stripping, waxing, and buffing in
Holdsworth 125. “There was no splatter of wax – great
job.” There had been wax build-up, and they made it
look like new. Kudos to Vanna Kong, Dechen Dolma,
and Xiuhua Mu.
Linda Chalfant, Director of Leisure Services for the
Town of Amherst, wrote to thank Physical Plant Staff
for all their help with the
town Independence Day
“I've always resented the smug
Celebration on the fourth
statements of politicians, media
of July. “Your assistance
with the event is crucial to
commentators, corporate executives who
its success year after year.
talked of how, in America, if you worked
Thank you very much.”
“The combined efforts by
the PP Utilities
Departments
demonstrated the
outstanding team work,
commitment,
professionalism and
hard you would become rich.
tenacity of Steve Lemay
Beth Berry wrote to thank
and Tom Fydenkevez,
The meaning of that was if you were
Joe Galica and Teresa
who led their teams that
poor it was because you hadn't worked
Fydenkevez for opening
included Mike Wills,
hard enough. I knew this was a lie, about Boyd Hunter, Martin
and locking doors as
needed for a complex 10Mareno, Rob Rowan,
my father and millions of others, men
day event, and for
Mark Bordeaux, Kurt
and
women
who
worked
harder
than
maintaining cleanliness
Winslow, Tony
throughout the event.
Malaquias, Dave Cyr,
anyone, harder than financiers and
Scott Hume, Keith
politicians, harder than anybody if you
Dan Pepin wrote to thank
Boisvert, Al Labonte,
accept that when you work at an
Doug Fuller, Bob Perry,
John Sullivan, Art Girard,
Rich Lawrence, Craig
Phil Maslon, and John
unpleasant job
Perrault, Ed Casey, Tim
Roberts. During an
that makes it very hard work indeed.”
Aldrich, and Mike Aldrich
orchestrated and complex
for coordinating the A/C
event, a critical repair was
― Howard Zinn, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train:
split system in
needed on both the CHP
A Personal History of Our Times
Holdsworth, which
steam system and on
installation went
numerous components
seamlessly. Kudos on the crew’s “attention to detail!”
related to the steam distribution, located around the
campus. In less than 48 hrs the Team transferred steam
Dan Poirier earned kudos for a quick response to a
lines, shutdown major operations in the CHP except
shattered glass lobby-door in Fine Arts Center. Fritz
steam production, completed all critical tasks,
Farrington praised Dan for acting promptly and for
including inspections, and returned the CHP and the
overseeing installation the same day.
steam distribution systems back to full operations late
Sunday afternoon. Their efforts will assure continued
Waste Management staff, led by Mike Dufresne,
safe and reliable operation of the CHP and the campus
earned thanks from Dan Markowski for “all the help”
steam system.” -- from Jeffrey Bryan, Assistant
they gave. They did a “great job.” Crew: Allen,
Director for Utilities, Physical Plant
Lamont; Beaulieu, Bob; Berg, Steve; Beynor, Bill;
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UMASS Amherst Phys Plant, 360 Campus Center Way, Amherst, MA 01003
OCT 2014