18
July
2016
|
09:16 AM
America/New_York

Facilities Operations and Development receives national recognition

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University’s Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) has received the 2016 APPA Award for Excellence. The honor provides national and international recognition for outstanding achievements in facilities management.

“The Ohio State University is honored and humbled to receive the prestigious APPA Award for Excellence and to be considered a leader in the field of facilities management,” said Mary Lynn Readey, Ohio State’s associate vice president of Facilities Operations and Development. “FOD supports the university’s academic mission daily by providing services for more than 200 campus buildings and 1,600 acres of green space.”

APPA, previously known as the Association of Physical Plant Administrators, is the association of choice for more than 12,000 educational facilities professionals from 1,300 educational institutions in North America. APPA’s Award for Excellence designation is valid for a period of five years and is considered the organization’s highest institutional honor.

“The institutions that receive the Award for Excellence are true leaders in educational facilities management,” said Paul Wuebold, APPA’s Vice President, Professional Affairs, and the chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee. “The Ohio State University’s Facilities Operations and Development continues to identify and implement efforts that promote a culture of efficiency.”

FOD’s more than 800 employees provide support services that include, but are not limited to, construction and project management, utilities, landscaping and maintenance and custodial services. FOD’s four main divisions are Design and Construction, Environmental Health and Safety, Operations and Utilities, but the organization also has a focus on Energy and Sustainability Services aligning with the university’s overall sustainability goals, which were developed by faculty, staff and students to enhance and expand policies, operations and practices.

The APPA Award for Excellence is designed to recognize and advance excellence in the field of educational facilities. Award for Excellence nominations are in the areas of leadership, strategic and operational planning, customer focus, information and analysis, development and management of human resources, process management and performance results. Nominated institutions also submit to a site review conducted by an awards evaluation team.

University of Texas at San Antonio and New Mexico State University also were honored with the 2016 Award for Excellence. Recipient institutions were recognized July 13 during the awards banquet at the 2016 APPA Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.