Behind the Scenes: Facilities Director Mike Zulla

Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking.

But starting a new job in the middle of a global health crisis brings a new level of uncertainty. That’s what Mike Zulla encountered in May 2020 when he joined Peck as Director of Facilities.

Zulla, charged with the safety and sanitation of the entire 247 South Street campus, knew he had a tall order to fill if Peck was to resume in-person learning for the 2020-21 school year.

A key member of the school’s Covid Task Force, Zulla not only helped develop the campus reopening plan, but he also oversaw the installation of hundreds of feet of plexiglass, more than 100 hand sanitizer units, and dozens of mini-campus signs. He also upgraded the HVAC systems, implemented a new project management system to handle facilities requests, and overhauled the entire cleaning process for the campus and classrooms

And he made it look easy.

“The thing about facilities work is it’s mostly behind the scenes,” said Director of Finance and Operations Andrew Schneider. “Mike and the facilities team have worked efficiently and expertly to keep our campus up and running.”

Schneider attributes Zulla’s success to his technical skills, emotional intelligence, and a personal approach to leadership during this unique year. Zulla says the community at Peck has also helped make the transition smooth.

“The culture at Peck promotes psychological safety, collaboration, teamwork, and open dialogue,” he said. “It really made me feel comfortable.”

Zulla said leading a department through a pandemic has helped him become more resilient and flexible. He stays up-to-date on best practices in facilities management and sanitation through his memberships in multiple professional organizations.

He emphasized that leadership is often shown in ways that people may not even notice. Part of successfully managing the operations of a 14-acre campus means being proactive and anticipating needs before they are realized.

“If we don’t hear anything, that’s good news!” he laughed. In the next three to five years, Zulla plans to focus on process improvement, data-driven planning, and professional development and training for his staff.