{"id":27214,"date":"2016-03-02T13:02:38","date_gmt":"2016-03-02T18:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=27214"},"modified":"2016-03-10T07:34:33","modified_gmt":"2016-03-10T12:34:33","slug":"after-thirty-years-with-the-campus-physical-plant-director-eldon-kurtz-leaves-behind-a-changed-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2016\/after-thirty-years-with-the-campus-physical-plant-director-eldon-kurtz-leaves-behind-a-changed-landscape\/","title":{"rendered":"After thirty years with the campus physical plant, director Eldon Kurtz leaves behind a changed landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"

This profile of Eldon Kurtz was originally published in the Feb. 18, 2016, edition of The Weather Vane. We’re grateful for the contributed copy, as we can’t possibly profile each one of the many long-time employees retiring from EMU this spring. An article featuring vignettes about each of our retirees will run in April. <\/em><\/p>\n

The brand-new Campus Center, in 1986, was the first major building project that Eldon Kurtz oversaw on the Eastern Mennonite University campus. Thirty years later, the new Suter Science Center<\/a> will be his last project. Kurtz, physical plant<\/a> director, will retire at the end of the spring 2016 semester.<\/p>\n

Despite his low profile, Kurtz has become an integral part of campus life and earned the admiration of many.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s one of those classic lifelong learners,\u201d said Sustainability Coordinator Jonathan Lantz-Trissel<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s very engaged on campus, on what students are talking about, and on what campus community is buzzing about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sophomore Josh Calderon, who worked with the physical plant as a summer conference and events assistant last summer, echoed Lantz-Trissel\u2019s sentiments. \u201cHe brings a different sort of care to the job,\u201d said Calderon. \u201cHe not only works here, but if you walk into that stadium during a basketball game, you\u2019ll see him up there. That\u2019s how you know someone loves his job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Work-study position starts career<\/h3>\n

\"feature-EldonKurtz_physicalplant\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Kurtz\u2019s story begins in 1973, when he enrolled at Eastern Mennonite College as an undergraduate student in the Bible department. Thanks to previous skill in the electrical trade, he immediately began working in a work-study position as an electrician for what was then known as the Building and Grounds Department.<\/p>\n

Kurtz also was residence director in Oakwood men\u2019s dorm, where he lived with his wife, Sharyl (their daughter Sara, who would eventually graduate from EMU, was born while they lived at EMU).<\/p>\n

After graduation in 1976, Kurtz moved directly into the director of custodial services role, where he served for 9 months before being promoted into a newly created role of physical plant director where he remained until 1985.<\/p>\n

Kurtz then worked with Brunk Mechanical in construction, which included overseeing construction for the new Campus Center.<\/p>\n

Afterward, Kurtz parted ways with EMU until 1997, when his old job opened up. He was happy to return and has served as physical plant director ever since.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the right person at the right place at the right time,\u201d said Lantz-Trissel. \u201cHe graduated from here, and he was a trade person, and all that has been really important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sustainability initiatives implemented<\/h3>\n

Kurtz reflects that his greatest contribution of many may be the improvements in campus energy efficiency<\/a>. \u201cControls in the old days were much more rudimentary,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had a central heating plant and we distributed steam all over the campus. When I came back in \u201997, I dug up an old energy report from 1980, and I\u2019ve traced our energy usage, BTU per square feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"feature-20130709-Peace<\/a>
With Will Hairston, supervisor of the grounds (left), and James Hershberger, who donated the peace oak in 2013.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since that first report, Kurtz has overseen almost a tripling in heating efficiency, from 140,000 BTU per square feet to the current level of 45,000 BTU per square feet.<\/p>\n

\u201dWe could easily be spending another $300,000 to half a million per year in energy costs if we hadn\u2019t been operating with the kind of vigilance we have been doing,\u201d he said. \u201cOur department has contributed pretty significantly to the reduction of costs to the university.\u201d<\/p>\n

Energy reduction costs have not been the only significant changes ushered in under Kurtz. In his time, EMU has transformed its recycling program<\/a>, constructed LEED-certified buildings<\/a>, built what was at the time the largest solar array<\/a> in Virginia, and grown in dozens of other ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven within two years here, so much has changed,\u201d said Calderon, noting that whenever an outdoor lamp goes out, \u201cI see one of these nice new LEDs pop up. I mean, that\u2019s not something they have to do, they probably have extra fluorescents laying around, but he makes it happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cooperation, teamwork, customer service<\/h3>\n

Before any of these changes happened, however, Kurtz first wanted to foster an environment of loyalty and friendliness in the Physical Plant. His hard work appears to have paid off.<\/p>\n

\"feature-IMG_9539\"<\/a>
Assistant director Ed Lehman with Eldon Kurtz (in a favorite pose!)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cProbably the other thing I\u2019m happiest and proudest about is having the good fortune to assemble a team of really excellent people and trying to engender a spirit of cooperation and teamwork and customer service,\u201d said Kurtz. \u201cThat was really important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew Troyer, a first-year work-study employee at the plant, noted the dedication and sincerity of his employers. \u201cA lot of nice people work in the Physical Plant,\u201d Troyer said. \u201cThey\u2019re just a fun group to work with. They\u2019ll let you try something out, give you an opportunity, and they\u2019re willing to teach you stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Lantz-Trissel, that receptiveness stems directly from Kurtz. \u201cIf you take him some wild idea, he\u2019s going to sit and listen to it,\u201d Lantz-Trissel said. \u201cThat means that EMU has pushed more boundaries because other schools are more rigid and say \u2018no\u2019 more often than they ought. I remember early in my parenting years, Eldon sent me his advice for young parents: \u2018Whenever possible, say yes.\u2019 He kind of runs with that mentality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kurtz, on the other hand, pins the success of his department to the people around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the years, I\u2019ve been challenged by people that were better than me, but I\u2019ve learned that it\u2019s better to have people who challenge me than surrounded by mediocre people,\u201d said Kurtz.<\/p>\n

This June, Kurtz will conclude 19 years as physical plant director and over 30 total years of employment and service at EMU.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like it\u2019s gone so fast, and I love the people here, and I\u2019m so glad to have an environment where you\u2019re trusted, and trusted to do the right thing for your employer,\u201d said Kurtz. \u201cYou can make a case for what you want to do, you know, and you generally get support. I\u2019m just leaving to give someone else a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This profile of Eldon Kurtz was originally published in the Feb. 18, 2016, edition of The Weather Vane. 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