Photo | Mason Poepperling Director of Facilities Don Rose is seen here at the center of where most of his job happens. Rose directed facility workers to where they need to be at any given time.
FACES
of Facilities A look at the department that keeps Hutchinson Community College running Photos & Story | Mason Poepperling
They are the unsung heroes of the college campus. They’re the ones who do the work that needs to be done when no one else can. They are the Hutchinson Community College facility workers. From custodians to mechanics, grounds keepers to locksmiths, these are the people who are always there to keep the campus running, even if their work is done behind the scenes. At the center of campus facilities is Director of Facilities Don Rose. As the director, Rose oversees all building systems including mechanical, electrical, fire/life safety, plumbing, and waste management. These
responsibilities lead to a very busy day-to-day schedule for Rose. “I have a lot of meetings,” he said. “It always seems like one meeting after another some days. We do a lot of work with our employees. We have several building projects as well as maintenance projects that come through this office. Any time that we are soliciting bids from contractors to do jobs, it’s coming out of this office.” This all seems like a lot for one man to handle, which is why Rose has to communicate with many different coordinators for certain maintenance aspects, which certainly makes his job a whole lot easier.
“We have several coordinators who are in supervisory positions as well. We have five different coordinators working within this department, supervising and directing the dayto-day action. Everything from custodial, grounds maintenance, security, bus driving, bus repair, comes out of this office as well,” Rose said. One of the coordinators that Rose works with is David Maness, Coordinator of Campus Safety. It’s his job to take care of anything concerning the safety and security of everyone on campus. “After I retired from the police department, I needed a job for insur-
8 | Dragon’s Tale | December 2021 008-009 Facilities.indd 8
11/18/21 12:49 PM
