I work in Campus Planning and Facilities Management’s Mechanic Shop as a General Maintenance Mechanic (formerly of Zone C off Campus Properties). While my responsibilities are vast and multifaceted in nature, for the most part I perform skilled, journey-level work in the fabrication, maintenance, and repair of machinery and physical plant operating equipment and systems.
 
My career path started when I was 14 years old, working summers sweeping the shop at my father’s business, a local heating and air conditioning company. I quickly learned that to move forward from my current position of sweeping floors, I needed to pay attention and try harder than anyone else there. Being the boss’ son came with no benefits. I worked hand-in-hand with journeyman-level fabricators when given the opportunity. I quickly picked up drafting and fabricating and filled in from time to time until I earned the opportunity to fill in permanently.  Along with drafting and fabricating, I also gained experience in installing mechanical systems, small and large. I spent 10 years working my way up to lead installer/lead fabricator/and field foremen. After the realization that my relationship with my father was more about business than family, I walked away in order to separate and salvage our relationship.  I left the HVAC field in 2013. 
 
I went back to school in search of a nursing license on the advice of my grandmother. In the process of obtaining said license, I worked as a hemodialysis technician, assisting people who were on dialysis due to renal failure. Working in that field was one of the most eye opening, life changing experiences that has ever happened to me. I learned many things from many people, met a lot of fascinating individuals, and said goodbye to a lot of folks, too. I helped people on the worst day of their lives. This was too much for me. I left this field and promptly returned to the field of HVAC in 2015 as the lead fabricator/installer at another local heating and air conditioning company. The one thing that I learned walking away from the medical field was that all life is absolutely precious, and you would be surprised what a smile can do for somebody having a bad day. After a year with the second Heating and Air Conditioning Company, I applied for a job at the University of Oregon at the advice of my grandfather who had worked for the university years ago and had always spoken very highly of the environment and the people. After many applications for employment, I finally received an interview and was subsequently hired. So far, being an employee of the university has been the greatest thing that has happened to me in my professional life. It allows me to not only do what I know and love, which is the repair/maintenance/troubleshooting/installation of mechanical equipment, but it also allows me to go home and be with my family every night of the week, which is worth its weight in gold, in comparison to the 60-hour-plus weeks that I was putting in before starting here. 
 
Being an employee of CPFM has also brought other opportunities to me besides the normal duties. I have been fortunate to have the lead worker position in regards to the Campus Wide Asset assessment. This process has allowed me to really get in touch with every corner of campus—from the OIMB site in Charleston, Oregon, to the sub-basement of Pacific Hall.  Being on the forefront of the AIMS switchover and cataloging university assets has really been a great opportunity for me. Another opportunity that I cherish greatly is being one of CPFM's representatives to the VPFA Diversity Committee. I have learned a lot about myself and how to better the environment that we have here on campus. I very much enjoyed participating in the committee’s Implicit Bias Awareness Month this past February, where I got the opportunity to meet with most of the CPFM side of the portfolio to talk about implicit bias awareness; this effort included some late night sessions with the custodial crews as well. Since Implicit Bias Awareness Month, CPFM has initiated a monthly forum for both day- and night-crews to discuss the goings on of the committee, bring forth ideas, and establish a line of communication between these groups and the VPFA Diversity Committee directly. This has also been a fantastic opportunity.