Category: Insider

Insider

INSIDER Magazine: ECIP Awards

F&S Utilities & Energy Services (UES) performs some of the most important work on campus, producing and distributing steam, water, and electricity across 24M gross square feet, more than 600 buildings, and to a ‘town’ of more than 50,000 students and 10,000 employees. So, when building experts and facility managers perform renovations, retrocommmissioning, or other work that reduces energy consumption, recognition is in order! The … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: ECIP Awards

Travis Tate
Insider

INSIDER Magazine: African American Heritage Trail Unveiled

By Rebecca Bigelow Local Black history and the history of campus intersect in Champaign-Urbana. It’s no wonder then that several stops on the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail tell the story of both. The trail committee collaborated with the university to ensure that several of these stories are memorialized around campus. Brent Lewis, university landscape architect, and Don Gerard, construction project coordinator represented F&S … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: African American Heritage Trail Unveiled

Travis Tate
Insider

INSIDER Magazine: Great Graduations

F&S helps set the stage for when students receive their diplomas and celebrate during Commencement. The Public Functions team manages work orders to deliver and setup what is needed during the many, during the many small convocations taking place in auditoriums across campus. These include Smith Memorial Hall, Foellinger Auditorium, Lincoln Hall, the Activities & Recreation Center (ARC), and even off campus at the Virginia … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: Great Graduations

Travis Tate
Insider

INSIDER Magazine: Learning and Labor

When Logan Fisher came to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in fall 2023, he didn’t really understand what F&S did…now, after time as a student employee, his future career as an architect will call on the memory of positive impact he personally left to future students, faculty, and staff. Fisher worked with coordinator of special programs in building maintenance Patrick Wood and sign shop foreperson … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: Learning and Labor

Travis Tate
Alma Mater Learning and Labor handshake
Insider

An RFP For All

There’s a lot going on at F&S, and there’s just as much with all the vendors who F&S contracts to do construction and maintenance work. An important request for proposals (RFP) is open now, and for a short time more, for businesses to partner with F&S construction services. And core to the mission of the university, and at F&S, is attracting vendors owned by underrepresented … Continue reading An RFP For All

Travis Tate
Signage throughout halls of PPSB
Insider

Students at Work with F&S

F&S employs more than 1,000 highly-skilled and dedicated workers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. A small portion of that workforce comes from students working in a field close to what they study academically. The week of April 8-12 was declared National Student Employment Week by the National Student Employment Association (NSEA). See below for tremendous success stories from four 2024 student employees, and how … Continue reading Students at Work with F&S

Travis Tate
Insider

Abbott Power Plant Welcomes Girl Scouts: 2024 Edition!

Abbott Power Plant generates steam, electricity, and for some local girl scouts, memories from their tour of the one-of-a-kind facility. Associate professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) in the Grainger College of Engineering, Ashlynn Stillwell welcomed dozens to Abbott on a Saturday morning, and introduced the basic science behind the functions of Abbott, and the importance of safety on premises. Stillwell has led the … Continue reading Abbott Power Plant Welcomes Girl Scouts: 2024 Edition!

Travis Tate
Tool room
Insider

Shop Spotlight: Tool Room

How does the F&S Tool Room operate? Andy Harpst, Tool Room supervisor: In the Tool Room, I recommend, determine, and procure tools, technical equipment and safety/personal protective equipment needed to satisfy the job requirements of journeymen in all crafts and trades within F&S. I also recommend modifications to equipment and tools.  These decisions on tools and equipment are procurement-based on intensive research and knowledge involving the … Continue reading Shop Spotlight: Tool Room

Travis Tate
Garage hydraulic oil filter crusher
Insider

Crushing It

Used automobile oil filters have no chance now. The F&S Garage services all F&S Car Pool vehicles, as well as F&S shop trucks, electric cars, garbage trucks, Zamboni machines, and almost anything else with an engine. Inherent to servicing is the oil filter, an item that is regularly replaced. Once a filter has fulfilled its life cycle, these metal cylinders, sometimes about 12 inches long, … Continue reading Crushing It

Travis Tate
Insider

Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference: ‘Above the Line Behaviors’

Russ Reynolds sees the value of the individual as part of a team and recognizes how each person, and the choices they make, turn personal culture into organizational effectiveness. To Reynolds, chief engineer at Abbott Power Plant, each moment while on the job is another opportunity to be ‘above the line.’ These positive and proactive work and interpersonal behaviors are generally those that include owning … Continue reading Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference: ‘Above the Line Behaviors’

Travis Tate