Mission statement update

July 27, 2021

Team of Facilities Management employees will update department’s mission statement

A diverse team of 11 Facilities Management employees is working to develop a new mission statement for the department.

Staff members have expressed a desire to update the existing mission statement in recent years through the Cultural Values survey and the Inclusive Excellence survey. The surveys also indicated that employees would appreciate more opportunities to be involved in the overall Facilities Management business.

The team is working to develop a mission statement that will, “represent why we are in business — our role and purpose — and how and for whom we conduct our business,“ according to an email from AVP/CFO Donald Sundgren sent to all Facilities Management employees.

“We want a mission statement that encourages our people to think about how their work extends beyond their team while also engaging our customers in what we do,” Sundgren wrote.

The team will share updates in the coming weeks in the weekly Occupational Programs newsletter as well as on the Facilities Management website. Staff members are encouraged to reach out to any of the team members below to ask questions and follow updates.

The Team

Christine Alencar — Project Associate, Smart Labs; Office for Sustainability
Christopher Barfield — Fire Protection Engineer; Office for the University Building Official
Cody Burruss — Electrician; Fire Protection
Pedro Gonzalez — HVAC Apprentice; West Grounds Zone
Chris Hall — HVAC Mechanic; Health System Physical Plant Zone 3
Rachel Harbin — Preventive Maintenance Programs Manager; Programs & Informatics
Joe Newton — Housekeeping Area Manager; E&G Custodial Services
Mike Payne — Assistant Director for Maintenance; Academic Maintenance
Travis Sly — Carpenter Supervisor; Construction & Renovation Services
Rebekah Thompson — Plumber/Steamfitter Assistant; Utilities
Jennifer Watson — Manager, User Experience and Engagement; Technology & Innovation

Primary Sponsor

Don Sundgren — Associate Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer

Project Manager

Laura Duckworth — Director of Occupational Programs

Coordinators

Julie Thomas — Occupational Training Manager; Occupational Programs
Emily Douglas — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Specialist; Occupational Programs

About the author

Jane Centofante
Communications senior generalist
UVA Facilities Management
(434) 982-5846
janecentofante@virginia.edu