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FACILITY EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR 2006

TFM Names Stuart Carron, P.E., MBA, Global Director of Corporate Facilities and Real Estate, JohnsonDiversey Facility Executive of the Year for 2006.

Inspired by the challenge, this steady leader learns what he can from each milestone he achieves.

By Heidi Schwartz

The life of a facility manager is one filled with challenges and triumphs in all shapes and sizes. On one hand, these benchmarks can come in the shape of multimillion dollar new construction projects; on the other, they can manifest themselves in strategic renovations focused on savings rather than spending. For Stu Carron, director of global facilities and real estate for Sturtevant, WI-based JohnsonDiversey, conservation of resources has inspired him to take on a leadership role in setting new standards for his organization.

With a background in chemical engineering, Carron seized the opportunity to sign on with S.C. Johnson shortly after graduating from Northwestern University and completing stints with two other firms, large and small. The privately held, family managed company (which spun off JohnsonDiversey in 1997 as a division devoted to commercial products) had a long history of environmental achievements and sustainable business practices—a reputation held in high esteem by Carron, a Wisconsin native.

“When I was first looking for a job and wanted to move back to Wisconsin, a recruiter called up and said, ‘I’ve got a lead for a company in Wisconsin; I don’t know anything about it, but maybe you do. Would you like me to set up an interview?’ When he said it was S.C. Johnson, my response was ‘Get me in there!’ I had heard about this company in terms of its various leadership initiatives and its 100 year history, which correctly led me to believe it was a great place to work. In my 17 years with the company, I have come to know what makes it great—leadership that values its employees, its community, and the environment, but also requires good fiscal management—the idea around the triple bottom line to sustainability.”

Carron absorbed what he could as a chemical engineer and then moved on to work in procurement in the company’s global sourcing group. After being prompted by a coworker to apply for the facilities opening, he discovered, “its numerous competencies, which I had worked on before, albeit in a somewhat compartmentalized form. This aspect really appealed to me. I thrive on complexity. The more things you can throw at me simultaneously, the more excited I get about the job.”

Setting New Goals

When the JohnsonDiversey headquarters building was originally designed in 1997, it set out to meet an extremely high level of efficiency. In 2000, when Carron joined the facilities team, he immediately began investigating the possibility of improved conservation and even better savings. “Our building really was a demonstration project—a poster child for the US Green Building Council—even though it pre-dated LEED. When LEED-NC [new construction] finally did come out, we were asked on several occasions to certify it retroactively, but I didn’t see much value in doing that. We had a green building, and my focus was on operating it, not on documenting the fact it was built a certain way.”

However, when the LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) concept was developed in 2002 and the pilot program got underway, “that’s what made sense to me as a facilities manager,” he concedes.

Carron approached key members of the management team and said, “I think green buildings are the next megatrend in the building industry, and our company’s products, services, and support could be instrumental in helping make it happen.” From that point on, things at JohnsonDiversey began changing dramatically.

In order to support his cause, Carron developed a white paper that analyzed LEED-EB’s potential impacts on JohnsonDiversey and the marketplace. This paper also led management to understand that achieving LEED-EB certification affirmed the company’s corporate interests in pursuing sustainable business practices for the future.

“This white paper integrating LEED EB into business processes speaks to understanding and thinking differently about the role of facility management,” notes Judge Tim Springer, founder and president of Geneva, IL-based HERO Inc.

Judge Maria Vickers, operations manager of Marlborough, MA-based Workscape adds, “The lessons learned during this process were used to change the whole business into an environmentally conscious provider, which is indeed an innovation. Carron used his position as a facility manager to impact the entire business positively, which speaks of true dedication to the company and to his position as a change leader.”

Outsourcing Benefits

Carron’s role as a change leader has been influenced by Johnson-

Diversey’s tradition of relying on outsourced service providers. But outsourcing doesn’t negate the need for a facility manager; if anything, it enhances the importance of this position.

“You still need someone inside the organization who can manage the outsource service providers. We’ve tried to hand over facility management completely to an outsource provider, but because the vendor was not culturally integrated and didn’t have a champion within our organization, there was a lot of criticism and conflict. Now the outsource service provider and our facility management team work from the same side of the table.

“Facility managers need many different competencies in order to do their jobs effectively. In the future, these areas must be developed. Through outsourcing, they can concentrate on these competencies while letting specialists handle those matters that may otherwise land in their laps. Our outsourcing partnerships allow us to trust the performance of our service providers and have them so well integrated into our team that our business people are communicating with them directly. It’s efficient and seamless,” says Carron.

Measured Improvements

With Carron’s guidance, achieving LEED-EB certification produced significant operational and financial improvements for JohnsonDiversey:

• Energy savings exceeding $90,000 per year (relative to a similar building designed without an integrated design approach and energy efficiency measures).
• Use of collected storm water for turf grass irrigation (reducing potable water use by more than two million gallons per year).
• Documentation that over 50% of site generated solid waste is recycled.
• The development of a high-performance cleaning program in alignment with LEED requirements.
• Procurement and construction management programs that impact maintenance materials choices from light bulbs to carpet, paint, office paper and toilet paper, thus improving indoor environmental quality and reducing waste and emissions.

Judge Springer says, “If all buildings were like this, we would be in much better shape as a society.”

In terms of financial savings, the economic benefits realized as a result of the building’s certification breakdown in the following manner:

• Annual net savings: $137,320
• Annual net savings per square foot: $0.49
• Life cycle net present value: $1,351,535
• Life cycle net savings per square foot: $4.87
• Return on investment: 0.5 years

Judge Tom Condon, facility technologist with Chicago, IL-based System Development Integration notes, “Carron’s savings are impressive, and he obviously knows how to calculate true savings. He even calculated the net present value—something I have not seen anyone else do!”

A Better Place To Be

In addition to achieving LEED-EB certification for the headquarters building, Carron also spearheaded the company’s move to apply LEED principles to its other properties.

“Through occupant satisfaction surveys, we know that green buildings are not only more efficient, but they are also better places to work. We are extending programs at the core of LEED-EB to additional properties and are looking at more certifications. Also, any new construction the company undertakes will be LEED certified.”

Through his work at JohnsonDiversey, Carron has been elected to chair the LEED-EB committee of the US Green Building Council for the next two years. Despite his efforts, he acknowledges, “There are still those facility managers reluctant to embrace sustainability holistically. One of the challenges is that they don’t recognize the value in having a third party acknowledge what they already feel they’re doing a good job at—energy conservation, waste management, etc. That’s where the value proposition for LEED as a comprehensive program needs to be developed. Our work on the LEED-EB Committee is focused on this and will drive further recognition and acceptance in the marketplace.”

Leading by example, Carron’s methodical approach has certainly made a positive impression on those who matter most. Judge Ken House, regional sales vice president for Lake Forest, IL-based Grainger refers to Carron as “a perfect example,” of facility management. He says, “Not only does he manage large, multiple buildings well, he also gains operational efficiencies and makes sure of other things so people won’t have to worry. The role he plays across so many different aspects of the business is incredibly impressive.” And as someone who sets the pace rather than watching and reacting, Carron has hit his stride at just the right time.

Product Information:

• Furniture: Herman Miller.
• Seating: Steelcase.
• Lighting: Philips Lighting.
• Cleaning Contractor: One Source.
• Security Service Contractor: Securitas.
• Maintenance Service Contractor: Johnson Controls.
• Food Service Contractor: Aramark.
• Mail and Reprographics Services: IKON.
• Landscaping Services: The Brickman Group.

This article was based on the nominee’s entry, which was supplemented by interviews with Carron and House.

FACILITY EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR 2005

Passionate about facilities, this colorful motivator leads by example and has a great time along the way.

By Heidi Schwartz

The passage of time makes it hard for professionals in almost any field to experience the same level of enthusiasm as they did that first day on the job. But in the case of Ward Komorowski of the Brengel Technology Center, the passion for facility management is still as strong as ever. After 20 years with Johnson Controls, Komorowski's innovative strategies have contributed to short-term, bottom line benefits and long-term corporate success for the Milwaukee, WI-based building technology leader. In fact, his compelling approach to sustainability has been a model to other facility executives.

Staying One Step Ahead Of The Curve

When Komorowski started with Johnson Controls in 1985, it was extremely difficult to manage the buildings efficiently. "We did great things for our customers, but back in those days, we were always the last to get the latest technology. We were the shoemaker's children," he recalls.

Komorowski focused his attention on presenting upper management with a better way to do business. By convincing top level executives to view Johnson Controls' facilities as showcases, Komorowski encouraged the company to take an important first step: hire someone responsible for making sure systems were used thoroughly and properly.

"We were installing all of these systems throughout the world and even had some of them in our own facilities, but we didn't have a person to manage them. Getting that position was huge," he notes.

At that point, Komorowski took over the management of the energy systems. His driving force was trying to reduce energy consumption and streamline operations in the facility. "I instituted a few major initiatives, particularly when management of the maintenance staff became one of my responsibilities. I put together a chart that illustrated our energy consumption patterns, because they had no clue what we consumed or how much it cost. This made them aware of the expense and instituted a culture of what we call work process improvement."

Getting The Job Done

Komorowski's interest in environmental issues took off in the mid-1990s when he encouraged the company to participate in the EPA's voluntary energy savings programs. Then Johnson Controls challenged him to incorporate integrated technology and emerging high performance building standards into the design of the Johnson Controls Milwaukee headquarters-the Brengel Technology Center.

The long-term goal of the building was to focus on the philosophy of sustainability while paying attention to stockholders' desire for a strong bottom line. In addition, the company wanted to have a great place for employees to work.

To accommodate space needs for employees, Komorowski worked with his team to provide a thorough analysis of space usage and employee functions. The process pinpointed an accurate amount of materials that needed to be purchased for new hires.

Through ongoing monitoring and benchmarking, Komorowski prioritized future needs and opportunities for the company. "One of our goals was to be under 250 square feet per occupant. If we didn't stick to that goal, we might have had to add an entire floor. Instead, we conserved construction material, furnishings, heating, maintenance, and all the other services provided by my department," he says.

Judge Mike Pulick, vice president at Grainger observes, "Komorowski addressed the immediate space needs, but he made sure the design included flexibility and fostered team building."

With a churn rate of approximately 50%, the space simply had to be flexible. "It used to take us four to eight hours to move an occupant, and we're down to 30 minutes now," Komorowski says proudly.

When making other decisions about the needs of employees, Komorowski took into account survey results from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). According to this data, the most common indoor environment complaints from occupants were about noise, temperature, and lighting. So the decision was made to use an innovative technology-Personal Environments Modules® (PEMs) from Johnson Controls. "I don't get hot and cold calls anymore. Now my maintenance staff can focus on productive things; we can even start thinking long term about what we want to do and how we want to do it." (For more on PEMs, see "There's No Place Like Home" on page 30 of this issue.)

Helping The Bottom Line

In building the Brengel Center, Komorowski was able to maintain the industry average of $125 per square foot for construction costs, but the company will save much more through Komorowski's innovative conservation efforts:

• Energy. Although total square footage increased 44.9% for the entire complex, total energy costs increased only 17% from 1999 to 2000 with the addition of the Brengel building. The company estimates it will save some 5,473 MMBTUs per year in combined steam and electric.
• Lighting. The Wisconsin energy code indicates lighting must use less than 1.2 watts per square foot. Because of daylighting and efficient fixtures, the Brengel consumes 0.86 watts per square foot.
• Maintenance. Although the addition of the Brengel Center added 130,000 square feet to the company's real estate holdings, not a single maintenance person was added because of innovative and efficient practices. The 24/7 vibration analysis also prevented emergency repairs and the staff needed to perform them. Judge Tim Springer says, "Through his actions, Komorowski provided an efficient, effective facility that demonstrates by example the core values of the company and the value of its approach and products." Judge Maria Vickers adds, "His processes have become models for the company's very own business practices." Pulick estimates these efforts will have a $4.2 million cost savings impact over the next 10 years.

Getting The Most From The Facility

When the Brengel was originally designed, one of the main goals was to attract and retain valuable employees. "People don't realize how expensive it is to train an employee-it's huge!" exclaims Komorowski. So the company sent out surveys to find out what the new building should be like. A big driver was the addition of a fitness center; but for Komorowski, another main target was the cafeteria.

"We used to have what I called 'That 70s Show' cafeteria in a part of the building that had no windows. To make matters worse, the walls were paneled in dark brown wood and there was green carpet on the floor. Our new cafeteria is on the first floor, and employees are actually using it. More people are using the services and staying within the facility. They're even gathering and sharing information at lunch," he says.

Now employees are proud of where they work. Those situated in other facilities that haven't been renovated (the Brengel is just one of seven buildings within a unified complex) are anxious to know when it will be their turn.

Going For Gold

The Brengel Technology Center achieved LEED Silver certification when the facility was built in 2000, but that wasn't good enough for Komorowski. During 2002 and 2003, he worked with his team to find additional strategies to achieve re-certification under the new LEED™ Rating System for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB). Some of these new strategies included:

• Modifying housekeeping specifications to include environmentally friendly cleaning materials;
• Revising snow removal operations to reduce salt;
• Adopting a policy to replace fluorescent lights with those having a lower mercury content level;
• Providing additional parking for environmentally preferable transportation;
• Benchmarking and providing remote monitoring of HVAC equipment in order to assure peak efficiency and validation of manufacturers' operational guarantees;
• Increasing recycling efforts;
• Improving daylighting;
• Changing the plumbing systems to reduce water consumption on existing fixtures;
• Upgrading copying machines to use zero-ozone emitting substances for better indoor air quality;
• Providing "Watts Up," an Intranet and internal TV employee education program with energy tips; and
• Starting a contest asking for employee energy management ideas in exchange for financial awards.

Under the direction of Komorowski, this combination of innovative mechanical and operational improvements helped the Brengel Center become the first building in the country to initiate ongoing re-certification under LEED-EB. His efforts translated into an advancement from Silver to Gold level achievement.

To put it simply, Komorowski's success as a facility executive is directly related to his sustainability efforts. Overseeing the dozens of items on the LEED-EB criteria list of sustainable activities-from energy and water efficiency to indoor environment and innovation-has been and continues to be part of his job description. There are few people who have had as much of an impact on both Johnson Controls and the building industry.

Coaching For Success

After being told he won TFM's Facility Executive Of The Year Award, Komorowski did something very much in character-he took his entire team bowling. "It was my treat, because I wanted to thank them for everything they did to get me here. Sometimes you feel like you're the bartender, because you're the one who has to listen to all the problems and solve them. There's no way in the world I can do this myself," he graciously admits.

Yet, members of his team sing Komorowski's praises loudly. "He makes every facility project fun, interesting, and truly a learning experience. Even though there is constant stress and pressure with facility emergencies, he always manages to remain level headed, has a sense of humor, and has a calming effect on everyone involved. I'm very proud to be a part of his facilities team," says Frank Primozich, supervisor, facilities operations.

"I'm the coach. I challenge the individuals that work for me to be the best they can. When they're not at that level, that's what I classify as a 'coachable moment.' I pull them aside, talk about the situation, rehearse it, and send them off again to do their best. This is what makes us a successful team. We need to inspire our staff to be the best it can in the facility management arena."

Pulick adds, "This is not a glamorous job. Most of the time, corporations don't even know who their facilities managers are; they're behind the scenes. Komorowski is successful, because he truly loves what he does and everyone knows it."

When asked about Komorowski, two people mentioned his tendency to do everything 110% (Jack Albert, friend and coaching associate, says even that is an understatement). Komorowski knows it's true. "If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it with all the energy I have. Some people think of me as a dedicated worker, and a few members of my team even call me coach."

That strong sense of teamwork sums up what's important to Ward Komorowski, winner of TFM's 2005 Facility Executive of the Year Award. And even after 20 winning seasons, he's still in his prime.

Product Information:
Furniture: Steelcase.
Flooring: Tate Access Flooring.
Carpet: Lees.
Ceilings: Armstrong; Tectum.
Fabrics/Textiles/Upholstery: Maharam; Design Tex.
Surfacing: Nevamar; Formica.
Movable Walls: Hufcor.
Window Treatments: Castec Mesh Shades.
Windows/Curtainwalls/Skylights: Efco.
Glazing: Old Castle.
Rest Room Fixtures: Kohler.
Rest Room Equipment/Supplies: Bobrick; enMotion.
Security System: Pegasys by Johnson Controls.
CCTV: Digital Video Recorders.
Smart Cards: HID Cards.
ID Badging: Pegasys.
Safety Equipment: Notifier.
Sensors: Johnson Controls.
Variable Speed Chiller: York Air Handling Units, VAV York.
Building Management System/Services: Metasys from Johnson Controls.
Power Distribution: Square D Co.
Light Fixtures: Peerless Diminutive; Columbia Allera.
Lighting Controls: Microlite Controllers.
Ballasts: Advance Instant-Start Electronic.
Exit Signs: LED Evenlite.
Roofing System: Firestone.
Telecommunications: Nortel Merdian Option 81.
Server Platform: Hewlett Packard.
LAN/WAN Equipment: Cisco Systems.
Multifunction Devices: Canon; Ricoh.
IT Infrastructure: AVAYA.
Elevators/Escalators: Dover.

FEY 2005 At-A-Glance:
Name: Ward Komorowski, director of facilities and building services
Organization: Johnson Controls, Inc.
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Years in Facility Management: 22
Contact Information: Ward.P.Komorowski@jci.com

• Overview: New 130,000 square foot Brengel Technology Center; first LEED Silver for new construction, then LEED Gold for Existing Buildings (Komorowski is responsible for Milwaukee corporate buildings along with all the real estate in North America for the Controls group.)
• Budget: $16,900,000
• Project Time: 19 months
• Number Of Employees In Company: More than 1,000

2005 Facility Executive Of The Year Judges

• Henning Bloech, Communications Manager, The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute
• Jeff Crane, PE, Senior Property Manager, Childress Klein Properties
• Victoria Hardy, CFM, CFMJ, Academic Head of Design & Facilities, Wentworth Institute of Technology
• Brendan Owens, LEED Engineer, U.S. Green Buildings Council
• Mike Pulick, VP, Product Management, WW Grainger
• Dr. Tim Springer, Principal, Foresight Associates
• Rod Stevens, AIA, CFM, IFMA Fellow, Architect/Facility Information
• Manager, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
• Maria Vickers, Operations Manager, Workscape

TFM thanks these generous professionals for applying their facility management expertise in the evaluation of this candidate. Special recognition goes to Grainger and IFMA for their support. This article was based on the nominee's entry, which was supplemented by interviews with Pulick, Albert, Komorowski, and members of his team. To nominate yourself or some other outstanding facility professional for next year's award, please contact schwartz@groupc.com.

To See the Winners from 2004 and 2003 please click here.