b'One Mans Journey (Part Four)By Richard Jones, Retired MSPMA memberL ater Friday evening after gettingI cant believe this but, I actually tooksimultaneously to support the upcoming back home and telling my wifea deep breath and explained my first dutyschool year and being able to compromise about my Murphy Friday andwas to him and the School District. Aand adapt to change is the norm for knowing Monday is not goingroof problem occurred, impending rainsuccess. I learned quickly that I had to go well, I hoped for a relaxingwas forthcoming and I knew my/our firstmuch to learn and many folks to please!weekend. And thank goodness for specialconcern was a safe learning environmentBecause I was accustomed to rapid friends during this weekend. It was sureand we, as the facility department, shouldchange in mid-stream, I found my new to be just that! (Judys friends from ourput the students and staff in our Districtrole comfortable and I looked forward to college days, who just happened to be infirst. I immediatelyeach day as unique Hawaii while I served my first Naval tour,realized his raisedand challenging. were our visitors.) voice did notI found my new roleIt also wasnt long You guessed itan unwantedecho agreement. Ithat I also realized interruption of our relaxing weekend!had embarrassedcomfortable and I lookedI could lean on In the middle of the best Pinochle gamehim and hisother school a team could have, the phone rings anddisappointmentforward to each day asdistricts around me you know who is on the other side in me was notunique and challenging. Itas we faced daily my superior! He immediately shared hisgoing to waiver.similar needs and unhappiness for me not showing up toThere were noalso wasnt long that I alsochallenges.teach his class, and his professor, whowords I had thatI had and found I was also not happy about the class beingrealized I could lean onwould always have cancelled. (Remember, I have house guestswould ease hischallenges with flat and Im trying to maintain my composuretension. I was notother school districts aroundroofs. Through the as proper as the situation will allow.) looking forward tome as we faced daily similargrapevine I learned Monday morning.that a neighboring There must haveneeds and challenges. school district south been a thousandof me might be a thoughts floodingsource of strength my mind as I prayed for patience at ourand that I should visit that district. Monday morning meeting. Fortunately,The next few weeks, I found myself that meeting didnt happen. We stayedat Branson School District speaking clear of each other and I concentrated onwith a unique man by the name of BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION the tasks at hand. Dwight Cutbirth. After exchanging I really do not remember the chainintroductions, we found we had common Facility Solutions of events, but soon after all of this,ground and respect and we continued to For Healthyword around the District was that thecommunicate as situations dictated.Facility Director was leaving at the Learningend of the current school year andIn the Summer of 1996, I received a phone call from Dwight asking If I Environmentsa new Director would be hired. Mywould have an interest, and would beEnvironmental Consultingmaintenance friend (Eldon) sharedwilling to join him at a special meetingIndustrial Hygiene with me that since I was new to thein Columbia with a group of men andGeotechnical Engineering district (not a local hire so to speak),women comprising the board of MissouriConstruction Materials Testing it would be unlikely that Id be givenSchool Plant Managers Association.Building Sciences &the opportunity to fill the position. By(Dwight, I found out later, was recently Enclosure Consulting this time, I was employed as a full-timeselected to serve as future president. AndSustainability & Resiliencemaintenance employee of the district.the position of regional representative Solutions Im now into my second year with(which he currently held) could be the district, my second summer soonoffered to me with board approval if I CONTACT US TODAY coming to a close and I find I have beenwas interested. I replied, Yes, I could be cleared to fill the shoes as Director ofinterested. +1 314-432-8073Facilities. Its funny, as I look back. II accepted the role/duty as area drew.drinen@intertek.com recall the building principals sharing thatMSPMA representative (very naive, but summers are very hectic and you haveexcited as to what lie ahead). During intertek.com/psi to be here to understand that. Multiplemy first meeting I was introduced to projects at each campus must happenthe board, not knowing at this moment 28|SCHOOL PLANT MANAGER MAGAZINE|WINTER 2026'