JEFFREY BENJAMIN, PE, CEFP
Chief Facilities Officer
Athens,GA
Summary
Accomplished Leader with progressive industry and higher education background and decisive leadership style. Offers strategic planning abilities, background in change management and forward-thinking mindset. Ready for challenges and focused on meeting future demands. Results-driven Chief Operating Officer drives performance improvements and leads strategic initiatives. Skilled manager of cross-departmental activities with adaptive communication of organizational objectives. Develops and executes innovative strategies for stimulating growth and service quality. Pragmatic professional with solid experience in leadership roles. Adept at implementing strategic business plans, driving growth and improving operations. Skilled in financial management and stakeholder relations. Collaborative and dedicated to building and leading talented and motivated individuals.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
13
13
Certifications
Work History
Associate Vice President– Facilities Management Division
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
12.2021 - Current
- Chief Facilities Officer and head of Facilities Management Division, leading facilities professionals in delivering energy and utilities, landscape management, fleet operations, custodial services, maintenance and repair, and capital renewal projects to promote long-term sustainability at University of Georgia (UGA).
- Oversaw talent acquisition efforts, attracting top talent from diverse backgrounds and skill sets while maintaining rigorous selection process for continued excellence within organization.
- Leading and developing team of licensed professional engineers, landscape architects, construction project managers, tradespeople, custodial professionals, construction workers, equipment operators, grounds keeping professionals, HR, IT and business professionals.
- Achieved departmental goals by developing and implementing strategic initiatives. Established priorities and long-term plans that protect campus’ $9 Billion physical plant portfolio.
- Developed annual and long-term investment plans that maintain and renew UGA's facilities that provide physical environment (700 acres campus with 700 buildings and structures encompassing 20 million gross square feet) conducive to teaching, safety, public outreach, student support, and research.
- Develop and execute annual operational budget of $93 million, overseeing staff of 900+ employees who execute more than 60,000 work requests and 300 infrastructure and maintenance projects ($50 million) annually with almost $100 Million project backlog.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to drive process improvements and innovation.
- Fully integrated with Office of Research, Franklin College of Arts and Science, and other academic departments to assist in day-to-day and long-range facility planning efforts, delivering timely services and improving learning and research environment.
- Boosted company reputation with successful execution of high-profile projects.
- Green Zone Ground maintenance, Autonomous Mowers, and Fleet EV conversion, UGA's first every Infrastructure and Energy Master Plan highlighting coordinated efforts between FMD's Sustainability and Energy/Utility departments.
Assistant Vice President – Facilities Services
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
07.2017 - 01.2022
- Leadership, direction, and mentoring to 600 person-strong Facilities Services department at University of Houston.
- Led department consisting of four divisions with five direct reports (Maintenance & Repair, Campus Services, Technical Operation & Utilities, and Campus Construction Services, and Executive Assistant).
- Manage annual $40+ million/year maintenance and operations budget, as well as execution of non-capital construction program (100-150 projects averaging $20 million per year)
- Responsible for a diverse workforce comprised of variety of skills and trades which include HVAC, electrical, elevator, fire/electronics, general repair and maintenance, plumbing, landscaping, custodial, solid waste, and fleet operations which provide 24/7/365 facilities operations of university’s main campus, which is located on 650-acre site near downtown Houston
- Managed campus consisting of 159 buildings and 15.7 million gross square feet of space (2.1 million gsf of research and laboratory facilities), valued at $9.2 billion
- Responsibilities include historic preservation of campus heritage buildings, daily support of 48,000 enrolled students and 8,000 faculty and staff who utilize University’s athletic facilities, admin buildings, classrooms, residence halls, recreational facilities, and critical research facilities, conducting cutting edge research around clock
- Successfully recruited and hired entire Facilities Services leadership team which was completely vacant upon arrival; developed and implemented Preventive Maintenance program to forge better facilities practices for UH as program had been dormant for almost ten years; restructured Campus Minor Construction Program to improve project delivery and overall customer experience, and helped to develop capital renewal and deferred maintenance program to better identify long term facilities needs and funding strategies for future facility investment.
- Developed Balance Score Card Report, measuring key performance metrics associated with Facilities Operations, allowing us to target specific areas for improvement, such as work order delivery and energy management.
- Collaborated on University Energy Master Plan, and capital renewal/deferred maintenance plan.
- Collaterally assigned as Facilities Department Emergency Manager, oversaw departmental response (involving damage assessment, response and recovery) in aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, enabling on-site classroom instruction to resume 5 days after storm passed by marshalling combined resources of Planning, Construction and Facilities Services departments to assess, triage, clean, and repair each building
- Partnered with University Controller to manage FEMA coordination for funding of all repairs and losses for main campus.
- Collaborated closely with executive leadership to align department goals with overall company objectives, resulting in stronger organizational cohesion.
- Improved employee retention rates through development of comprehensive training programs and mentorship initiatives.
- Developed comprehensive financial forecasts based on historical data analysis, enabling more accurate budget planning and resource allocation.
- Oversaw change management initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions during periods of organizational restructuring or process improvements
- Established a high-performance culture within the team by setting clear expectations and providing regular feedback on individual performance contributions
- Optimized resource allocation by analyzing operational needs, reallocating resources as needed to maximize efficiency across all functions
Project Director - NEWPP Expansion Project
CITY OF HOUSTON
03.2015 - 06.2017
- Provided leadership and management of Northeast Water Purification Plant (NEWPP) Design-Build Expansion Team consisting of engineering and construction staff (4 direct reports/80 designers and engineers total) comprised of both City and Contractor employees
- This ten-year, $1.2 billion expansion of the existing plant included design and construction of a new Raw Water Intake Structure, Underground Raw Water Transmission Line, Electrical Supply & Substation, Water Treatment Plant Facilities, Ground Storage Tanks, and Operations Facilities using the Progressive Design-Build delivery model and will result in an additional 320 MGD capacity to the existing plant
- Provided leadership for the execution of several required delivery areas including Planning (Design/Contractor Procurement), Legal (Contracting and Negotiations), Permitting (Environmental), Communications (Internal and External), Technical Oversight (Engineering), Operation & Maintenance Input, Implementation Oversight (Construction), and Project Controls (Reporting and Risk Management)
- As Project Director (departmental executive), led coordination of participating Regional Municipal Water Authority Partners, Design-Builder, City Departments and interacted frequently with Mayor, City Council and Public Works Director, and various public forums and events
- Overcame trust barriers with project cohorts; four Regional Water Authorities who provided funding for 84% of total project, while city only provided 16%
- Developed strategic and operations efforts to better work together to achieve project goals, address concerns, and guide decision making
- Overcame years of mistrust between project partners and helped to deliver a highly successful project
- Overcame initial resistance; through open, honest, and transparent communications, team building efforts, and development of interpersonal relationships with cohort representatives, along with actions that were consistent with messaging, a cohesive team environment was eventually formed
- Major accomplishments include advertising and awarding Phase I of Design-Build Contract within 10 months of coming on board, zero protests or challenges of the award, successfully developing Basis of Design, and awarding Phase II Design amendment valued at over $100 million on schedule and within budget, and less than 0.5% change order rate on delivery thus far.
- Implemented strategic project management methodologies, leading to efficient and successful project delivery.
- Cultivated positive work environment, fostering open communication channels and encouraging team members to share ideas for continuous improvement.
- Delivered high-quality results by adhering to industry best practices and maintaining detail-oriented approach throughout each project phase.
- Hired and managed consultants, contractors and sub-contractors to complete project tasks.
Assistant City Engineer - Construction and Quality Management
CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE
05.2014 - 03.2015
- Directed engineering staff (3 direct reports/18 staff) in planning, design and construction of municipal engineering and construction projects (107 projects valued at $104 million) across city
- Developed and implemented policies and procedures to assure success in monitoring work of engineering and architectural consultants and contractors engaged in design and construction of municipal buildings, infrastructure, and related facilities
- Provided high level project management skills and effectively negotiated with outside consultants and contractors to complete projects
- Provided advice and counsel to higher level City Officials (Mayor, City Manager, and City Commission) and other committees regarding engineering construction project needs, particularly to improve City’s overall Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for over 1000 miles of roadways and alley ways
- Developed staff professional development plans and training to increase competency and productivity of construction team
- Managed and directed quality control and quality assurance program, developing standards of practice, procedures and quality improvement processes for design and construction of City projects
- Performed complex assignments, exercised considerable initiative and independent judgment in assuring that activities meet high standards of service, maximized effective use of resources, in accordance with accepted technical standards and in compliance with applicable rules, regulations and laws
- Led development and implementation of project management initiatives, leading department through transition from in-house design execution to project management of consultant design
- Overcame significant personnel challenges associated with changes of this magnitude through compassionate leadership, communication, and coaching, and making myself available to team to address concerns
- Incorporated numerous sustainable features into number of projects such as Rain Gardens, Bioswales, wind turbine vehicle charging stations, and land restoration.
- Streamlined project management processes for increased efficiency in completing municipal projects.
- Boosted community satisfaction with public spaces by overseeing improvements to parks, recreational facilities, and streetscapes.
- Developed comprehensive maintenance plans for city-owned assets to extend their lifespan and minimize costs associated with repairs or replacements.
- Collaborated with various departments to ensure successful completion of complex, multi-disciplinary projects.
- Upheld highest standards of ethical conduct, adhering to professional codes of practice and maintaining transparency in all departmental activities.
Procurement Manager/Facility Security Officer
GEOSYNTEC CONSULTANTS, INC
12.2012 - 05.2014
- Developed and administered company’s Contractor Purchasing System in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), prepared and administered federal, state, and local agreements for both domestic and international contracts
- Planned, coordinated, and administered operational, financial, administrative and technical function of procurement process
- Developed appropriate policies, processes, systems and procedures to effectively manage and control costs
- Conducted bottom-up review of existing policies and procedures, denoting those that were in or not in compliance with current regulations and existing acquisition law and created action plan to correct them
- Created Procurement Manual for company, to aid in compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations, developed set of desk top procedures for use in conjunction with corporate policy, and developed training program to roll out to all branches
- Evaluated existing software systems and implemented new working software system to manage corporate acquisitions policy
- Negotiated and awarded new corporate contracts for office supplies and rental cars that increased corporate rebates and reduced overall expenses company wide.
- Oversaw contract administration activities, including drafting agreements, negotiating terms, managing renewals, and addressing disputes or discrepancies as needed.
- Streamlined procurement processes for increased efficiency and cost savings through implementation of digital tools and automation.
- Spearheaded change management initiatives within procurement department, leading to improved agility and responsiveness in meeting business needs.
- Collaborated with finance departments on budgeting and forecasting activities, ensuring accurate representation of procurement expenses and cost-saving opportunities.
Public Works Officer - (Director, Facilities and Construction)
US NAVY CIVIL ENGINEER CORPS
07.2010 - 12.2012
- Provided facilities management and leadership to 135 person(4 direct reports) public works and contracting organization that executed design, maintenance, repair, and construction management for industrial, commercial and residential complex valued at $1.1 billion containing more than 400 buildings and structures that include 19 warehouses (5 acres), 1.96 million yd2 of open storage, ambulatory medical and dental facility, 125 family housing units, recreation facility, and 24/7 depot level maintenance facility
- Met needs of several different commands/business units by applying sound business judgment, engineering principles, safety, energy conservation, and sustainable construction principles to daily operations and planning
- Led planning and execution of installation wide energy program, directly overseeing staff of engineers, consultants, and analysts to develop energy master plan, resulting in design and execution of energy related projects (Electrical, MEP, Geothermal, Landfill Natural Gas-to-electricity, and building renovations) and recapitalization of he installations electrical utility system that has resulted in reduction in energy consumption of 40% of 2010 baseline, and led to establishing roadmap for installation to achieve net zero for energy consumption in 2018, along with winning several Secretary of Navy Green Energy awards
- Executed $86 million in new construction and repair projects (design-build and design-bid-build) in timely, efficient and above all safe manner
- Coordinated with Base Security and Emergency Management staff to coordinate facilities response for emergency management planning and response plan.
- Increased employee satisfaction with constructive performance evaluations and targeted feedback.
- Mitigated potential risks by proactively identifying potential issues and implementing appropriate countermeasures or contingency plans as needed.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors optimally, securing best deals for organization while maintaining excellent working relationships.
- Maintained overall safe work environment with employee training programs and enforcement of safety procedures.
Contingency Engineering Business Line Manager
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic
01.2008 - 07.2010
- irected design and construction execution, disaster preparedness, project management and planning to commanders deployed globally who were involved in contingency and combat operations by applying sound business judgment, engineering principles, safety, energy conservation, and sustainable construction principles
- As member of Board of Directors, and Strategic Steering Committee, provided support and advice to Commander and helped to develop strategic vision for organization
- Managed Navy’s $1 Billion Contingency Construction Contract, Multi-Award Cost Plus Award Fee Engineering and Construction Contract similar in scope to Army LOGCAP Contract
- Planned and executed emergent construction requirements in support of humanitarian and military missions for military commanders throughout the world in response to natural and man-made disasters in locations such as Djibouti, Afghanistan, Iraq, Uganda, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Israel, and Caribbean
- Led command’s response effort to support operations in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where response efforts assisted in easing suffering, restoring infrastructure, security, and improving sanitation and health in displacement camps, restoring hope to millions of earthquake victims following January 2010 earthquake.
- Led multi-disciplinary engineering and contract support team in-country team that had boots on ground within 2 weeks of event and began support immediately conducting damage assessments, search and rescue, and other recovery efforts, coordinating and executing various support missions with senior DoD and Navy leaders, State Department officials, Non-Governmental Organizations, local government, and UN officials
- Provided direct engineering support for several National Level Exercises simulating disasters in Los Angeles, and Seattle coordinating with multiple state, federal, and DoD organizations
- Personally, led effort to develop Contingency Engineering curriculum to train Navy and Marine Corps engineers on how to plan and execute disaster response and recovery missions.
- Managed annual budget planning process, ensuring optimal resource allocation for maximum profitability.
- Enhanced community preparedness by developing and implementing comprehensive emergency management plans.
- Oversaw recovery efforts following disasters, coordinating resources and support to affected communities.
- Provided expert advice to senior leadership on matters related to emergency management, contributing valuable insights for decision-making purposes.
- Conducted regular training exercises to maintain staff readiness and evaluate the effectiveness of emergency plans.
- Developed contingency plans considering various factors such as population density, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and available resources.
Operations Officer
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133
01.2005 - 12.2006
- Provided military leadership, engineering expertise, project management and planning in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Led 475 Navy Seabee and Army engineers at 7 locations in Iraq and Kuwait, in support of First and Second Marine Expeditionary Force in Al Anbar Province, Iraq
- Initially planned as small company level (90-person team) deployment, six weeks prior to he planned deployment date, tasking changed significantly, increasing greatly number of troops required to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan
- This effort was further complicated by catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina making landfall 10 miles west of battalion’s homeport (Gulfport, MS) two weeks prior to planned deployment date
- This new mission consisted of rapid planning of $40 million in vertical and horizontal construction, including military camps, security, field hospitals, airfield and roadway repairs, and other operational related facility construction, facility maintenance, logistic convoy security missions, and engineering planning
- Overcoming severe logistical challenges, personal impacts from storm to Seabees, mission achieved 100% mission success with no missed deadlines and zero mishaps or injuries
- Upon returning to homeport, developed the homeport training program for 650 Sailors, ensuring that each obtained required training during 12-month home port period
- Over 50,000 classroom hours of technical, trade, and combat instruction, mapped to individual, team, and unit training objectives.
- Streamlined operational processes by identifying inefficiencies and implementing targeted solutions.
- Managed cross-functional teams for successful completion of projects within budget and timeline constraints.
- Optimized resource allocation by analyzing project needs and assigning personnel accordingly based on skills sets required for success.
Assistant Public Works Officer (Deputy Director Facilities and Construction)
Naval Support Facility
01.2004 - 01.2005
- rovided leadership and facilities management for remote Naval Support Facility located in middle of Indian Ocean
- This facility consisted of 200 buildings, including electric plant, water and wastewater treatment facility, landfill, airfield, medical and dental clinic, residential facilities, and other various operational facilities, as well as historical buildings and heritage sites
- Successfully directed 25 (five direct reports) military and civilian employees, and over 250 contractor employees in planning, engineering design, and execution of facility related projects (electrical, MEP, structural) and services
- Augmented installation security and police operations
- Organized and prioritized installation facility’s needs (maintenance, repair, capital renewal, and operations) and leveraged allocated and centrally managed resources to execute a facility plan valued at over $22 million a year
- Supervised Public Works organization annexes and day-to-day operations of DoD’s largest Base Operations and Support contract valued at over $250 million year
- Identified and corrected numerous inefficiencies in several key areas of this contract, such as utilities, planning and transportation resulting in annual savings of $400,000/year, this included utility plant operations and optimization, along with other operational practices
- Developed plan to recapitalize 10 older facilities and demolish additional 30 resulting in additional annual savings of $1.2 million per year in operations and maintenance cost.
- Optimized resource utilization by reallocating personnel based on workload assessment resulting in balanced workload distribution among team members.
- Implemented process improvements that streamlined workflows, reducing redundancies and increasing operational efficiency.
- Mitigated potential risks by proactively identifying potential issues and implementing appropriate countermeasures or contingency plans as needed.
- Spearheaded successful projects from conception through completion, showcasing strong project management abilities.
Public Works Officer (Director, Facilities and Construction)
Navy Support Activity
07.2003 - 12.2004
- Provided facilities management and leadership to the Navy’s Undersea Warfare Research Laboratory and Support Activity consisting of 657 acres and 221 buildings (ambulatory medical and dental facility, research and development facilities, laboratories, and administrative and housing facilities
- Planned and executed six design-build construction projects, valued at $46 million (including installation’s first LEAD Silver facility)
- Work included vertical and horizontal construction of laboratory, research, admin, and industrial use facilities that supported the Navy’s Mine Warfare, Special Warfare, and littoral combat research efforts
- Planned and led the merger of the installation’s public works organization from an independent organization of 180 personnel (union and non-union) into a larger public works center with a headquarters in Pensacola, FL
- This entailed coordinating two cost accounting systems with different operational requirements, while reassuring our clients and our most important asset, the men, and women of the public works team that the transition would be seamless and not resolute in job losses or a reduction in customer service
- Using a great deal of communication, not only with internal staff affected by this change, but also the key stakeholders who significant concerns about service delivery and potential job cuts, was able to negotiate appropriate buy-in and support with no loss in service or quality
- Completed the effort to finalize the installation’s natural resource management plan
- This multi-year effort to identify natural, historical, and archeological resources within the boundaries of the base, return remains that had previously been removed, and to establish the management plan to oversee the sustainment of these critical features of the base.
Environmental Engineer
Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center
05.1999 - 07.2003
- Provided specialized support and services to Navy and Marine Corps medical and dental units in area of environmental health and compliance, industrial hygiene, and safety
- Worked with senior Navy leadership to developed and implement Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery’s first ever Environmental Internal Assessment Plan for use by Navy’s 390 hospitals, clinics, dental centers, and dental clinics, and provide input to same effort for Office of Chief of Naval Operations
- Conducted compliance and support inspections to Navy’s medical facilities worldwide, quickly assessing and evaluating compliance with Navy, US, and foreign nation environmental regulations
- Coordinated Environmental Management System Training Module for Tri-Services Facilities Mangers course, working with representatives for Army, and Air Force, to implement important management process to curriculum
- Coordinated environmental compliance efforts to support Joint Commission compliance with all Navy medical and dental facilities world-wide
- Served on Chief of Naval Operations, Environmental Management System Implementation Committee
- Enhanced water quality through design and implementation of wastewater management systems by partnering with Navy Dental Command and federal regulators to install filtration devices (designed and developed by Navy) in all dental chairs at all Navy Dental Clinics worldwide, eliminating discharge of mercury and other heavy metal dental waste into local sanitary sewer systems.
- Contributed to research advancements in environmental engineering by presenting findings at professional conferences and publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals.
- Collaborated with public health officials to monitor water quality, ensuring safe drinking water standards were upheld consistently.
- Trained employees on best practices in environmental engineering, contributing to more knowledgeable workforce.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to address complex environmental challenges, resulting in effective solutions.
Surface Warfare Officer
US NAVY
05.1996 - 05.1999
- Led and managed sailors aboard US Navy warships, directed personnel shipboard and anti-submarine operations aboard USS Kidd (DDG 993) and USS Donald Cook (DDG 75)
- Managed shipboard engineering systems, weapon systems, and small craft in support of fleet operations.
- Directed damage control efforts, mitigating impact of emergency situations on vessel's functionality
- Evaluated personnel performance, providing constructive feedback for professional growth and development
- Oversaw maintenance schedules for crucial ship components, ensuring optimal functionality during deployments
- Developed risk management plans, minimizing potential hazards during operations at sea
Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear Qualified)
US NAVY
06.1989 - 08.1992
- Supervised and conducted supervision, operation, maintenance, and administration of naval nuclear propulsion plants and associated equipment
- Qualified in areas of reactor operation, electrical and mechanical theory involved in operation of nuclear reactor, steam plant, propulsion plant and auxiliary equipment
- Trained and qualified in detailed knowledge of reactor and steam plant chemistry and radiological controls
- Operated and performed maintenance on power and distribution systems, lighting systems, motors and controllers, indication and alarm systems and other electrical and electronic equipment.
Education
Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering - Construction Engineering And Management
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
Raleigh, NC 01.2006 - 12.2007
Master of Business Administration -
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX
On-Line/Distance Learning 01.2003 - 08.2006
Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering - Water Resources Engineering
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
Nashville, TN 08.1992 - 01.1996
Skills
Executive Leadership
undefinedCertification
Licensed Professional Engineer (TX LIC# 121039) (GA LIC# PE049059)
Timeline
Associate Vice President– Facilities Management Division
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
12.2021 - Current
Assistant Vice President – Facilities Services
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
07.2017 - 01.2022
Project Director - NEWPP Expansion Project
CITY OF HOUSTON
03.2015 - 06.2017
Assistant City Engineer - Construction and Quality Management
CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE
05.2014 - 03.2015
Procurement Manager/Facility Security Officer
GEOSYNTEC CONSULTANTS, INC
12.2012 - 05.2014
Public Works Officer - (Director, Facilities and Construction)
US NAVY CIVIL ENGINEER CORPS
07.2010 - 12.2012
Contingency Engineering Business Line Manager
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic
01.2008 - 07.2010
Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering - Construction Engineering And Management
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
01.2006 - 12.2007
Operations Officer
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133
01.2005 - 12.2006
Assistant Public Works Officer (Deputy Director Facilities and Construction)
Naval Support Facility
01.2004 - 01.2005
Public Works Officer (Director, Facilities and Construction)
Navy Support Activity
07.2003 - 12.2004
Master of Business Administration -
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX
01.2003 - 08.2006
Environmental Engineer
Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center
05.1999 - 07.2003
Surface Warfare Officer
US NAVY
05.1996 - 05.1999
Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering - Water Resources Engineering
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
08.1992 - 01.1996
Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear Qualified)
US NAVY
06.1989 - 08.1992