Whether you are a student, faculty member, staff member or a visitor at the University of Delaware, you can't help but be impressed by walking the beautiful campus or entering one of its signature buildings. What may not be so apparent is all the hard work and dedication going on in the background to keep the campus facilities operating in a clean, safe and effective manner.

Earlier this year, that work by staff members in Facilities, Real Estate and Auxiliary Services (FREAS) received special recognition when UD received the prestigious “Best Work Execution Management Implementation” award from Maximo World,  a community that includes leaders and technical peers from some of the world’s best-run organizations, sharing knowledge and expertise.

The award is no fluke. FREAS staff dedicate themselves 24/7 to assure high standards in delivering a multitude of services to the campus. “Their efforts and commitment reflect the values and pride they have in providing the best for the University,” said Paul Dickinson, director of maintenance and operations in FREAS. “This award acknowledges operational excellence (OPEX) in action, by deploying best-in-class work execution processes that maximize our ability to serve the campus.”

This recognition places the University at the top of its peers and acknowledges a long journey in FREAS over the past few years, highlighting the dedicated efforts of managers, trades and support personnel and their commitment to OPEX as a core value. Throughout the process, trades and support personnel and managers engaged in the challenging task of change management, reflecting on the things they do very well every day, while recognizing the things that need improvement. 

“The process wasn't easy,” Dickinson said. “It required a willingness by our staff to open themselves not just to reviewing tried-and-true work practices and making them better, but also committing to learn about and implement best-in-class maintenance management strategies deployed at other universities and commercial operations.”  

The program has created continuous learning opportunities across various shops and functions within FREAS and is driving cultural alignment and co-dependencies. Many changes have been accomplished and many more lie ahead. These include further education on maintenance management strategy and integration with related initiatives already underway, such as Procurement’s UD Exchange system and other related FREAS programs already in play.

Mike Guns, associate director of strategic mainteance and planning, said “Though the last 18 months have been trying and resources limited due to COVID-19, the program and the team continue moving forward. Without it, much of what was managed during COVID would not have been possible as it helped us mitigate our unusual circumstances. 

Many people need to be thanked for their hard work, and that long list includes John Schwander, manager of information services, and Mike Schlag, CMMS administrator, as well as all the trades, managers and support personnel.

FREAS is proud to accept the award as recognition for the strong efforts by all who participated and for all who will benefit from it in the future, Dickinson said.

For additional information, please contact any of the individuals mentioned in this article.