James T. Kazda has been named director of facilities for Cornell's contract colleges (formerly known as the statutory colleges), as of Jan. 7.

Kazda has served as associate director of Contract Colleges Facilities since 2000 and succeeds Gregg Travis, who retired this past fall. Phil Cox, director of facilities management, has filled the role in the interim.

As director, Kazda will lead initiatives to meet Cornell's long-range goals for new construction, major renovations, maintenance projects and planning studies for the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Veterinary Medicine and Human Ecology and the ILR School.

Kazda will report directly to Vice President Kyu-Jung Whang.

"Jim will be a key player in my overall plan to restructure Facilities Services into a more effective, transparent and client-focused organization, particularly in the Contract Colleges Facilities office," said Whang. "It is a boon to find someone so accomplished from within the organization to fill such an important position."

In his tenure at Cornell, Kazda has managed the design and construction of several major projects: the Ives Faculty Wing renovation, Stocking Hall renovation and construction, Mann Library renovation, Bailey Hall renovation, and the construction and renovation of the new College of Human Ecology building and Martha Van Rensselaer Hall.

Kazda earned a B.S. in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. from Queens University. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.