W.S. (Lanny) Joyce, director of utilities and energy management in the Energy and Sustainability (E&S) department, was recognized with two awards at the Facilities and Campus Services (FCS) 10th Annual Employee Celebration June 12: the Keystone Award, which Vice President Rick Burgess noted represents “strength gained through collaboration”; and a new Partners in Sustainability Lifetime Achievement Award, created by the President’s Sustainable Campus Committee.

The lifetime achievement award was created “specifically to honor Lanny’s unique and lasting impact on Cornell’s trajectory as a leader in sustainability,” said professor Michael Hoffmann, executive director of the Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions and co-chair of the sustainable campus committee.

Joyce’s contributions include the Lake Source Cooling, Combined Heat and Power, and Energy Conservation initiatives, Hoffmann said.

Joyce is “a visionary leader who will leave a lasting legacy at Cornell University for years to come,” Hoffmann said, quoting one of Joyce’s nominators. “Lanny is always willing to take the time to explain highly technical processes in a manner that you can understand without needing an engineering degree,” wrote another.

More than 20 individuals in FCS and across campus nominated Joyce for the annual Keystone Award. Burgess thanked him for his “outstanding service to Cornell” and his passion for “all things utilities.” In turn, Joyce said, “It has been a pleasure to create change at Cornell. … All the people I’ve worked with have been such a huge part of our collective accomplishments. … Thank you.”

Four Cornerstone Awards were given:

• The Cornerstone Award for Effectiveness Improvement, to Mary Colomaio, utility mapping coordinator for facilities engineering, for improving the safety, responsiveness and economics of managing key Cornell facilities by implementing drone technologies to inspect tall buildings;
• The Cornerstone Award for Distinction in Teamwork was awarded to the Veterinary Medical Center Temporary Boiler team, an ad hoc group of 25 Facilities and Campus Services staff members who expedited the installation of a temporary boiler trailer to ensure the veterinary college could maintain normal operations;
• The Cornerstone Award for Dedication to Developing Others was given to Kelly Davis, project associate in engineering and project management, who created a support document to help others learn about e-Builder and is training staff and vendors in its use. Her positive attitude, patience and dedication to connecting with people helped in the implementation of this program; and
• The Cornerstone for Campus or Community Service Award went to Mark Howe, director of utilities distribution and energy management in E&S. Howe served for 20 years in the Army and Air Force Reserves, including one year of active service at Fort Dix in New Jersey, and leads the mobility impaired section at Commencement. He also successfully balanced his Cornell career and family life while completing his master’s degree in project management in the College of Engineering through Cornell’s Employee Degree Program.

Also recognized were:

• Staff graduates of the Employee Degree Program and Tuition Assistance Program: Erik Eshelman, director of facilities engineering; Rachel Fives, project manager; Ruth Howell, senior project coordinator; Sarah Dean, real estate associate; and Suzanne Kern Wilkins, administrative assistant.
• Graduates from Facilities and Campus Services’ Leadership Enhancement and Accelerated Development (LEAD) program who took on rotational opportunities: Jeanne Boodley-Buchanan, project intake manager, and Andrew Germain, architectural and structural section leader.
• Cindy Lockwood, associate director, facilities management, and Josh LaPenna, director of utilities production, who had finished their terms and will be stepping down from chairing the FCS diversity and inclusion committee.

Receiving recognition as employees of the fourth quarter of 2018 for accomplishing something exceptional were:

• Rob Murray, engineering architect, Shane Dunn, facilities manager in engineering, and Mike Dunn, sheet metal foreperson, for assessing the roof leaks at Milstein Hall and ensuring they were addressed.
• The entire Grounds Crew staff, who orchestrated snow removal during two big storms that caused the university to close, ensuring students were safe and able to get where they needed on campus.
• The staff in the flood response crew in Wing Hall – electricians, Building Care staff and sprinkler crews – who repaired the damage caused by frozen pipes and cleaned in time for the reopening of classes.