KU announces September employees of the month
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has announced the September 2015 employees of the month. They are as follows:
Name: Andre Faucher
Title: Research support services manager, Higuchi Biosciences Center
What that means: Faucher oversees the building and facility management for a large complex that includes scientific labs. He orders supplies, arranges for leaky roofs to be fixed, automatic locks to be repaired, and he schedules construction repairs. Faucher additionally maintains the IT hardware and connections for the buildings that he provides assistance to. He schedules meeting space, provides audio visual support, and support and training for the webcam and video conferencing equipment.
Notable: Faucher has shown his initiative by researching and preparing a proposal for new ventilation hoods as well as setting a schedule of necessary inspections. He researched, updated and documented all safety procedures and recommended equipment updates. For all existing equipment he documented specifications as well as the expected lifespan of the equipment and a schedule for necessary replacements. And again, of his own initiative, Faucher has organized the stockroom in a way that he knows all of the profit margins, knows the equipment and material needs of those in his department, and does the research to find the best option to meet those needs. When it came time to update aging audio and visual equipment, Faucher went above and beyond on researching what to buy for the best value. With upgrades to that equipment, many employees were unfamiliar with how to use the technology. Faucher not only makes himself available before meetings in conference rooms to set up, he has also arranged one-on-one training with employees throughout Higuchi Biosciences Center.
To add to Faucher’s initiative, he is also vigilant and proactive. As an example, he researched the amount of voltage computers would require and determined that a temporary line was needed to support devices during a transition period. His investigative work and pre-planning saved the department and the buildings days of down time and prevented stress and frustration for employees.
Name: Guy Price
Title: Zone manager, Facilities Services
What that means: Price is responsible for all maintenance and custodial services in his zone. He interacts with customers on a daily basis, and he plans and directs work activities for supervisors, sub-supervisors, lead workers and maintenance technicians. In his zone he oversees more than 50 employees.
Notable: Price makes the effort to come in over the night shift to visit with and interact with his overnight staff. During athletic events, such as football games, he volunteers to supervise the facilities crews. This is a job that is normally performed by a maintenance supervisor, not a zone manager. Regardless, Price is willing to take those shifts to prevent his maintenance supervisor from getting burnt-out on overtime work. Price himself is not eligible for overtime; his motive is simply to recognize and help out the supervisors who report to him.
The cleanliness of the buildings in Price’s zone are in excellent shape, and his zone routinely performs preventative maintenance to make sure systems are operating at peak performance. The proactive attitude of Price and his team has decreased emergency calls. When an issue arises, Price acts immediately, contacting customers and working with them to correct their problem.
Price is known by employees for his listening skills. Despite his approachability, he doesn’t wait for others to come to him with questions, concerns or suggestions; he will seek information from his team. Price is an exceptional part of the team making campus comfortable and beautiful.