January 2021
From Our Regional Vice President
As we have begun the new year we have experienced an uptick in positive cases of COVID 19. I would like to highly encourage the use of the campus free testing and would like everyone to follow the COVID protocols that have been in place throughout 2020. We are at the beginning of the end of this terrible plague and it is important that we finish as strong and we started. We cannot become complacent in managing the spread. How we start this year can be a huge factor in our success in 2021. Thank you for all the hard work and dedication that our associates have shown throughout this crisis and know it will continue. Remember we are an important part of making the Spring semester a success for TAMU! God Bless and work safe.
— Richard Gentry
EDCS 2020 Awards Presentation
EDCS presented awards to recognize the tremendous job EDCS has done with the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) documenting projects in eBuilder over the past fiscal year. The entire staff also received donuts as a thank-you. not pictured was Tilson Casey, Best of the Best
David Ritter
Best of the Best
Tim Pyrtle
Best of the Best
Curtis Russell
Most Improved
Jonathan Rivera
Most Conscientious
Matt Wiederstein
Honorable Mention
EDCS Progress on the Quiet Zone Project
SSC Services for Education EDCS Chief Civil/Structural Engineer Mikael Olsen is managing the Quiet Zones Project for Texas A&M University.
The project goal is to improve the safety at campus intersections along the railroad tracks and meet the Federal Rail Authority standards. This will lead to discontinuing the need for train horns as they travel through the campus.
The Phase 1 construction includes; F&B, Old Main, and George Bush Drive. Brazos Paving, Inc. is the contractor. Kimley-Horn and Associates is the engineer of record.
Phase 2 for the work at Kimbrough Blvd. will be posted as CSP this month with a submission date in mid January 2021.
More information about this project may be found at: https://transport.tamu.edu/About/faqquietzone.aspx
Cameron Kastelein Regional Grounds GEM of the Year
Congratulations to Cameron for being named Regional Grounds GEM of the Year! We are co proud of you!! SSC’s Grounds Turf Manager Ricky Scher shares his submission:
“Cameron is honest, hard-working, compassionate, self-motivated and dedicated. He is determined to improve the quality of work we do on campus at Texas A&M each and every day. He has been a huge asset to SSC since he started here as Turf Supervisor in February 2019. Since that time, I have seen big improvements in the organization and execution of our turf crews' daily assignments. Cameron is always thinking about how to keep the turf teams motivated and efficient while keeping safety as a top priority. He has figured out how to earn the trust and respect of the turf crew members while still upholding policy. I believe this is a result of his genuine love for people that he demonstrates by treating them with kindness and respect. Cameron has a strong work ethic but places realistic expectations on our crew member, never asking them to do any task he is not willing to do himself. In every situation or challenge that we come across, while providing our client with excellent service, Cameron remains level headed and comes up with solutions that allow us to succeed. His can-do attitude and desire to excel in everything he undertakes make him an excellent candidate for GEMM of the year.”
SSC Grounds Manager Brian Carey Earns Awards from Texas Turfgrass Association
Congratulations to Brian Carey and the SSC Grounds Department!
The Texas Turfgrass Association Awards Committee presented Brian Carey and the SSC Grounds department TWO separate awards this year!
Awards 1: TTA Multi - Purpose Field of the Year for Simpson Drill Field at Texas A&M University
Award 2: TTA Soccer Field of the Year for Penberthy Recreational Sports Field at Texas A&M University
Brian attended the annual meeting on December 1st where he was recognized for these awards.
7th Annual SSC at TAMU Door Decorating Contest
First Place – Technology “Santa’s Workshop” Team members included Anna Barwick, Steven Davis, Kyle Duffy, Wes Duffard, Harold Flores, Bryan Kappler, Stephanie King, Chad Langley, Will Wood
Second Place – Custodial Admin Office “Holiday Command Post” Team Members included Ruth, Ashley, Erica, Alma, James
Third Place – Custodial Life Science Crew “Santa’s Elves” Team Members included Rosemary, Ashley, Zeferina, Makayla, Alicia, Maria C. , Roy, Abigail, Socorro, Maria H., Maria C. H, Reagon, Christina, Beverly, Alejandra, Isaiah, Maria M. , Jessie, Marilyn, Blanca, Vonda, Tammy.
Thank you to our Judges for taking time to participate in the contest.
First place received a pizza party with Richard Gentry and the
Second place winners received a tray of treats.
Andrea Cortez Receives a Gift Honoring Her 50 Years of Service
In the December newsletter we recognized Andrea Cortez as she celebrated “50 Years of Service” with A&M and SSC Services for Education.
Pictured left: Custodial Regional Director of Operations Ted Dawson, Human Resource Manager Peggy Cruse, and Division Vice President Richard Gentry present Andrea with a gift honoring her service.
December GEMS
Custodial
Maria Guillen Lopez
Laura Perez
Christina Reyes
Billie Steen
Stephen Winner
Tony Young
EDCS Quarterly
Lisa Gray
Grounds
Alejandra Celorio-Baez
Daniel Padron
Hector Vanegas
Maintenance
David Gonzalez
Paul Vasquez
Welcome New Associates
CUSTODIAL NEW ASSOCIATES
Deborah Davis
Melissa Rivera
GROUNDS NEW ASSOCIATES
Cory Dyess
MAINTENANCE NEW ASSOCIATES
Marissa Ayala
Jonathan Goyens
Joseph Lawson
James Leija
Kimberley Rodgers