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Facilities & Operations Service Guide

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Extension Cords

The University of Michigan follows guidelines found in national electrical and fire codes pertaining to the use of extension cords. Extension cords cannot be used as a permanent wiring method and may only be used to provide a temporary means of power for no longer than 30 days.

Extension cords may be used to provide temporary power for portable equipment, such as a vacuum cleaner, electric drills, or lighting. Remove the cord when the task is completed.

Extension cords should NEVER be used to power permanent appliances, such as lab equipment, kitchen equipment, copiers, etc.

Surge-protector plug strips for personal computers and their components are acceptable. The plug strips must be UL-rated and contain an over-current protection device. Electrical appliances, such as hotplates or coffeemakers, should never be plugged into a plug strip.

All extension cords and plug strips must:

  • be grounded
  • be rated to carry the electrical load of the device attached to it
  • never routed under rugs, through walls, doors, windows, ceilings or floors, or across hallways or paths of ingress or egress
  • never be concealed behind building walls, ceilings or floors
  • be in good repair (replace any damaged cord or plug strip)
  • never be modified or repaired
  • never be daisy-chained to achieve additional outlets

Additional safety information is available at https://ehs.umich.edu/research-clinical/equipment-tools/extension-cord-power-strip/.

Facilities & Operations will install additional outlets in spaces that require them. Requests of this nature are funded by the departments on a customer pay basis. To request service, call the Facilities Service Center at 734-647-2059 or visit requests.fo.umich.edu.

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Brian is the Interim Vice President of Custodial and Grounds Services.

Brian has served as an Area Manager in our department since 2022, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience. Before joining the University of Michigan, he held key leadership roles as Director of Environmental Services (EVS) at a hospital and Regional Manager of Operations in long-term care. His extensive background in healthcare and facilities operations demonstrates a strong commitment to quality, operational excellence, and team development.

Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northwood University.

As head of Environment, Health & Safety, Danielle is responsible for health, safety, and environmental issues facing both the academic and business operations of the university. Danielle directs programs involving hazardous materials, environmental management, biological and laboratory safety, industrial hygiene, radiation safety, ergonomics, food service sanitation, and fire safety.

Danielle was an associate director of research and operations safety programs from 2012 to 2018, responsible for efforts involving health and safety in research areas as well as non-research spaces such as the work that our maintenance, trades and custodial employees perform. Significant projects include the research safety initiative, construction safety first culture program and homeland security anti-terrorism standards compliance program. Danielle has been in the department since 1995 serving in the industrial hygiene program overseeing health and safety in various departments and overseeing various compliance programs such as hazardous materials in construction and the respirator program.

Danielle is a certified industrial hygienist and a certified safety professional. She holds a bachelor of science degree in Environmental Health from Oakland University and a master of science degree in Industrial Health from the University of Michigan.

Marina Roelofs has served as the University of Michigan’s AVP for Architecture, Engineering and Construction since 2000. The department is currently responsible for the design and construction of capital projects in support of the university’s academic, research, healthcare, athletic and student life missions. The AEC team consists of architects, engineers, construction skilled trades, and support staff.

Roelofs’ wide-ranging experience in the construction industry spans the total life cycle of projects from inception to completion including management of the design, construction, procurement, and legal aspects. Prior to coming to U-M, she was the AVP for Facilities at the University of Toledo, where she was responsible for directing and managing the university capital program, facilities operations and maintenance activities.

Roelofs’ career in the construction industry began nearly forty years ago at General Motors, Argonaut-AEC and advanced to Worldwide Construction Contracting Division. In her 15 years at GM, she managed projects for the GM Proving Ground, Packard Electric, Argonaut Realty, and provided strategic leadership and guidance to all divisions in procurement and contracting methods, in addition to leadership in resolving issues on projects nationwide.

Roelofs holds a B.S. in construction engineering, an M.S. in civil engineering, and a J.D.

Lukeland Gentles leads Operational Support. The department includes finance, human resources, training and events, and information services.

He began his tenure with Facilities & Operations in the Custodial Services department, where he served as a custodial supervisor, business manager, and Assistant Vice President. Prior to becoming the Assistant Vice President of CGS, he served as Associate Director of F&O Finance, providing fiscal leadership for all F&O departments.

Lukeland holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Michigan and a master of business administration from Wayne State University.

Kimberly Kiernan manages the University of Michigan’s extensive physical infrastructure, which includes over 38 million square feet of space on the Ann Arbor campus. She is responsible for a wide range of sophisticated and complex academic, research, and clinical facilities, including environmental stewardship and adherence to regulatory standards. She provides leadership and strategic direction for an organization of approximately 1,700 employees across the following groups: Architecture, Engineering, and Construction, Custodial & Grounds Services; Environment, Health & Safety; Logistics, Transportation & Parking; Maintenance Services; Operational Support; and Utilities. Over the course of her career at the university, Kiernan has held roles in the Provost’s Office, University Library, and School of Kinesiology. Since joining Facilities & Operations in 2007, she has held progressively responsible positions focused on aligning operations with institutional goals and optimizing service delivery.

Kiernan received her undergraduate degree in English and Communications from the University of Michigan and earned a Master of Business Administration in Accounting from Eastern Michigan University.

As head of Utilities Brian oversees all aspects of the production and distribution of steam, electricity and potable water to all campus buildings as well as campus wide sanitary and storm sewer collection. This includes directing the activities of the Central Power Plant and the North Campus Research Complex Central Energy Facility. Utilities also directs the procurement of natural gas and electricity for the entire campus.

Brian was Senior Manager of Electrical Operations from 2016 to 2020, responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the university’s electrical distribution and outdoor lighting systems. His responsibilities also included managing the building substation replacement program, electrical distribution master planning, and maintaining the electrical metering and billing system.

Prior to joining U-M, Brian worked 19 years in the automotive industry, primarily at Ford and Visteon manufacturing plants. Prior to his experience in the automotive industry, Brian worked at Toledo Edison’s Bay Shore Generating Station where he supported the plant’s preventative maintenance program and substation operations.

Brian is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ohio and holds a bachelor of science and master of science in electrical engineering from the University of Toledo.

Steve began his career at the University of Michigan in July 2010 as the executive director of Logistics, Transportation and Parking (LTP), responsible for planning and operating a parking system to accommodate faculty, staff, students, patients, and visitors, as well as a transportation system that services approximately 6 million riders per year.

Prior to coming to the university, for nearly 20 years Steve has held positions of increasing responsibility in the transportation, supply chain management, and third-party logistics fields. As part of the leadership team for LTP, Steve’s focus will be on providing excellent service to the campus community and continually improving on an efficient transportation system which will help alleviate demand on a parking system that operates at an extremely high rate of utilization.

Steve graduated from Oakland University in 1992 and has lived in Ann Arbor since 1997.

Steve Brabbs is the director of Maintenance Services.

Steve has served in a wide variety of roles including several different positions since coming to Facilities and Operations in 2000. Before serving as region manager, Steve led several initiatives in Plant Operations. His areas of expertise include facilities maintenance, work management functions, and change management.

Steve has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan (LSA ’88) and a master of science degree (’94) from Eastern Michigan University.

As head of the Real Estate Office, Christopher (Chris) Allen is responsible for handling all real estate matters for the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses, as well as Michigan Medicine, with responsibility for all transactions involving real estate, including purchases, sales, acceptance of gifts, access to university property, property encumbrances and restrictions, surveys, and mineral rights. The Real Estate Office also handles commercial and office space leasing for university departments, including searches, leasehold improvements, and landlord relations. In addition, management of certain U-M properties, including leasing, maintenance and finances, is handled by the Real Estate Office until the properties are demolished, sold, or transferred to another university department.

Prior to joining the university in 2018, Chris managed McKinley Companies, LLC’s commercial real estate portfolio, including oversight of refinancing, financial reporting, tenant relationships, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, and property management. He has managed complex real estate transactions and was often the lead negotiator in these transactions. Chris’ career began at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he provided assurance and advisory services to Fortune 100 firms.

Chris holds a bachelor of arts in economics and master of accounting from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business that included a summer program at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

As head of the Office of Campus Sustainability, Andy is responsible for leading operational sustainability efforts to support the institution’s long-term sustainability goals, as well as working closely with the Graham Sustainability Institute (GSI) on cross-functional sustainability programs with the academic and research community. Andy also works with Athletics, Michigan Medicine, and Student Life on pursuing institutional sustainability priorities established by leadership. In addition, OCS is responsible for quantitatively tracking and reporting progress on the goals to leadership.

Prior to leading OCS in 2009, Andy held the role of Sustainability Coordinator reporting up through Occupational Safety and Environmental Health (now Environment, Health and Safety), where he worked across operational units on projects to reduce the institution’s environmental footprint through waste reduction, energy conservation and the reduction of chemical waste generated in laboratories.

Andy holds a professional certification from the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management, a bachelor of science degree in environmental management from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources, and completion of the U-M Business and Finance leadership academy.