Staff News May 2021
May 27, 2021
New Hires
- Mark DeSilvey, electrician, HSPP Zone 3
- Doran Hottle, plumber, Housing Facilities
- Marc McCabe, trades utility senior worker, Housing Facilities
- Stuart Merridew, HVAC mechanic, HSPP Zone 1
- Robert Patrick, student worker, Capital Construction & Renovations
Organizational Announcements
Cheryl Gomez, who served the University for 33 years, recently announced her decision to leave UVA. She has stepped down as director of Operations as of early May but her final day at the University is June 24. Rollie Zumbrunn, associate director of Housing Facilities, is currently serving as acting director of Operations. The following realignment of the Operations group will take effect June 7: Energy and Utilities (Paul Zmick) and the Office for Sustainability (Andrea Trimble) will report directly to AVP/CFO Don Sundgren; Environmental Resources (Kristin Carter) will report directly to University Building Official Ben Hays. The other elements of Operations will continue to report to Rollie Zumbrunn. “As we move through the transition and beyond there might be other alterations we will want to consider though none are definitively planned at this time,” AVP/CFO Don Sundgren wrote in an email to all staff.
Best Wishes to FM Retirees
- Jody Lahendro of Capital Construction & Renovations retired in April after almost 17 years of service. Jody served as a supervisory historic preservation architect, overseeing several large projects for the University including the renovations of Carr’s Hill, the Rotunda, the Pavilions and Garrett Hall. Jody helped coordinate Facilities Management’s volunteer projects at Camp Holiday Trails as part of the Day of Caring each year. In 2019, he was selected to join the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows, considered the organization’s highest membership honor and limited to approximately three percent of AIA members.
- Greg Rogers of Landscape Services retired in April after 18 years of service. Greg joined the University in 2003, working as a landscape & grounds worker mainly on Central Grounds and North Grounds. He was best known for his easy-going attitude and his help leading tours of the Pavilion gardens each year during Garden Week.
Educational & Professional Accomplishments
- Ryan Taylor, Central Grounds Maintenance Zone manager, was honored recently for his retirement from the U.S. Air Force after serving for almost 22 years. Lt. Col. Taylor spent almost 9.5 years on active duty and was stationed in South Carolina, Alaska and at the Air Force ROTC detachment at UVA, before he was transferred to the Air Force Reserves where he was stationed most recently at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
- Rollie Zumbrunn, acting director of Operations, was honored as part of the UVA Student Affairs Team as a recipient of the Hoos Building Awards for the team’s support of isolation/quarantine housing during the 2020-2021 school year.
- Brittany Collier, electrician apprentice, and Ashley Bell, HVAC apprentice, recently served as panelists as part of the Virginia Department of Labor & Industry’s Brown Bag Lunch Series session titled “Ask a Tradeswoman.” During the session attended by about 80 participants, they gave an inside look at how women’s lives have been impacted by Registered Apprenticeship and the highs and lows of an environment traditionally dominated by men.
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