Craig Brodd

CRAIG BRODD NAMED 2007 McELHINNEY RECIPIENT

It’s no secret that when someone loves their job they do it well.

Take Craig Brodd, for example. His enjoyment of his work as University of Houston’s Residential Life and Housing (RLH) maintenance supervisor inspires him to seek new ways of improving efficiency and implementing cost-saving measures.

Brodd’s problem-solving ways have not gone unnoticed as he is the recipient of the 2007 C.F. McElhinney Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor UH bestows on a staff member.

“I enjoy what I do here at UH,” Brodd said. “There is always a new challenge, and that keeps me motivated.”

Brodd has been a part of the UH community for 17 years. For the past
five years, he has served in his current position in RLH.
 
Among his duties are overseeing maintenance projects and renovations for residence halls and the A.D. Bruce Religion Center. Brodd also lends his expertise to projects at Cullen Oaks and Bayou Oaks and to special projects such as office remodeling. He’s also tasked with supervising the set-up and tear down of RLH’s three Frontier Fiesta booths.

Regardless of the project, Brodd has been praised for his ability to analyze a situation objectively and determine the best and most cost-effective course of action.

“The most unique thing I appreciate about Craig is his commitment to excellence and cost saving,” wrote one of his nominators. “He does not find cheaper ways of doing things. He finds better ways of doing things that cost less.”

Supervising the renovations for the Moody Towers dining area, Brodd recommended the project be rendered by an in-house staff-a suggestion that drastically reduced the project’s budget. He also revamped UH residence halls’ lawn irrigation systems so that they use less water and electricity. Another one of Brodd’s innovations was introducing environmentally sound waste disposal methods to residence halls’ kitchen facilities.

“When I am about to begin a new project, I look at all aspects of it when deciding what needs to be done,” he said. “I also look for answers from my team. Instead of looking outside for help on projects, we put our heads together to come up with solutions.”

It’s this sense of teamwork that makes Brodd’s job all the more rewarding. While he does enjoy the challenge of solving problems, it’s working with good people that makes every day a good one at UH.

“People here like to work together,” he said. “I appreciate the teamwork and the camaraderie. Having good people around me makes working at UH an enjoyable experience.”

As the C.F. McElhinney Award recipient, Brodd will receive a plaque and a check for $2,500.

Mike Emery
Staff writer