As a University at Buffalo (UB) alum with engineering and business management degrees, I spent the first 10 years of my career working at an architectural firm developing the University at Buffalo North campus. I retired in 2018 after spending 36 years working in the university’s Facilities department on the planning, design and construction of all campus buildings. Throughout my UB career, I was able to work with and oversee a staff of 40 architects and engineers to manage and maintain the university’s facilities.

During my tenure, the university spent more than $1.5 billion on construction. In 2018, UB was a $4 billion entity with more than 220 buildings covering 11 million square feet spread across three campuses. My experience grew in several areas from critical maintenance, renovations and new construction to paving, underground utilities and roof replacements.

In 2016, we were preparing for a Capital Renewal program through the State University of New York (SUNY) and needed to find an efficient way to scan all campus roofs. I spoke with two companies that flew a fixed-wing aircraft over the campus and provided infrared photos before receiving a presentation from the EagleHawk team. What set EagleHawk apart was their method of using drones equipped with state-of-the-art cameras and sensors to provide a comprehensive report that included data and information detailing issues with each roof. This invaluable information enabled us to develop our Capital Renewal plan and helped us prioritize future roof maintenance and repairs by identifying key areas of concern that many of the buildings were facing.

My experience with EagleHawk evolved into a true partnership. Our team really trusted and valued their expertise. After retiring, the team reached out and offered me a position as an EagleHawk advisor to draw on my years of experience in facilities management.

This blog is the first of a series in which I’ll provide my take about a variety of subjects regarding facility management, maintenance and repairs to help provide insight into common challenges that facilities managers face and how to hopefully best resolve them.