Visit to ‘Appreciative’ Partner: IGB

Sometimes, you gotta check in on your friends.

F&S executive team members accepted an invitation from the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB) in part just to visit the facility and understand the importance of their relationship. Specifically, IGB director Gene Robinson and director of operations and facilities Jesse Southern, welcomed F&S representatives and led a tour of laboratories, offices, and basement spaces.

“Both our facilities, and the responses we have had always have to be better than what others might be used to,” Robinson said. “We invest in the top facilities and talent and appropriate services, and we want to keep things at a high level.”

Jeff Angiel, F&S associate vice chancellor and executive director, was proud of the ongoing partnership and understanding of IGB’s needs and recollections of past emergency-level events, two revolving around extreme weather.

“I want to praise and recognize actions we’ve taken at IGB in the past,” said Angiel. “I also want to listen and work proactively to see how we can continue to evolve our services. It’s invaluable for me and great to come see the facility and better understand their needs.”

Heavy Rains Jeopardize IGB Instruments: June 7, 2024

From: GENE E. ROBINSON – Director, IGB
To: F&S

Thank you very much for the manner in which F&S responded to our water leak issues due to the rains over Memorial Day weekend. From your callback to me while on the road, to the work of each and every crew member, the responses were rapid, extensive, highly professional, and effective. Thanks to the superb work of F&S staff, the physical damage to the IGB was minimal, and there was no loss of multi-million dollar instrumentation and no loss of priceless research data.

We were fortunate to avoid major damages and losses this time, and very much need to work quickly to eliminate this vulnerability going forward. We truly appreciate you, your staff and their exceptional service during our time of need, and we greatly value our partnership with F&S.

Best,

GENE E. ROBINSON 
Director, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology