Your Fellow APs

Steve Hadersbeck, Planner/Inspector/Analyst III

(Chm West Michigan)

How long have you been at MSU? 

I have been at MSU for 16 years.

Have you been a member of APA the whole time? 

Yes

Can you tell me a little bit about what you do?

I am the facilities manager for the College of Human Medicine, which is headquartered at the Secchia Center in Grand Rapids.  My responsibilities  are diverse and include: Managing service contracts for the maintenance of HVAC, Life Safety, Elevators, Electrical systems, Lighting, Interior-Landscape, Exterior maintenance of the building and Landscape;  Energy Management; I oversee improvements and construction projects; Assist in Life Safety implementation; Handle Interior furniture procurement/repair/replacement; Maintain Space utilization documentation;  Oversee Environmental Management of Secchia Center toward LEED O&M standards at the Gold Level;  I Manage the Keying system in conjunction with the Key Shop on Main Campus;  Also, I Update Architectural & Mechanical plans in AutoCAD format for any changes to the original design so that we always have current as-built drawing.

What brought you to your job at MSU?

I am a Landscape Architect  (LA) by education and Michigan registration.  The department of Campus Park and Planning recruited me as a LA to design and manage exterior construction projects, I joined a team of 3 LA’s already on staff at the time.   So I have had my fingers on many changes to the exterior environment at MSU.  My first project was the Biomedical  and Physical Science building complex which included the exterior courtyard between the Chemistry, Biomedical and Bio-Chemistry.  After a few years the LA’s were moved to the Engineering and Architectural Services department within Physical Plant (now known as Infrastructure Planning and Facilities) and performed the same design and project management functions.  My last project before coming to Secchia Center was as the MSU design project manager for the Farm Lane Underpass project and the Surplus and Recycling Center .  I was assigned to this project because I  had the most experience with MDOT projects as a result of my work on the Trowbridge Extension into Campus.

My move to the College of Human Medicine  as the Facility Manager for the Secchia Center, was really a once –in-a-lifetime opportunity.   The job assignment was to participate in the design of Secchia Center,  assist in the construction management  and then oversee the operation upon completion of construction.   This was the first time in MSU history (I was told) that brought the facility manager for a new building into the design and construction process.

What do you love about working at MSU? 

There are so many reasons I love about working a MSU,  foremost is the people who work at MSU.  Working as a team to solve problems and wrestle through change together.  The encouragement of continuing education.  Being part of something bigger than me. 

Can you tell me a little about the benefits and challenges of working at the Secchia Center/Grand Rapids campus? 

One of the benefits is that I have lived in Grand Rapids during most of my 16 yrs at MSU and now it only takes 8 minutes to work instead of 1 hour and 10 minutes to Lansing.  My experience in design and project management at MSU has made the transition extremely easy, basically because I know how to get things done quickly within the MSU organization.   The most difficult thing was the fine tuning process of getting a new building operating the first year,  to say it was at times a nightmare would be an understatement.  Most people think that a new building should be like a car driven off the dealers lot…. It works perfectly.  However, with a new building you’re taking tried and true equipment and materials, placing them  together and with some programing hoping it all works great.  However,  to truly get a building operating you  need the four seasons of Michigan to really fine tune it.  I lacked the experience of the HVAC systems, relying heavily upon the service contractors to solve problems.  They were the Master… I was the grasshopper.  MSU offered me a great learning experience.  I have basically taken my profession in design full circle, from the beginning of an idea to full operation.  Something few designers ever get to do.

What do you like to do when you are not at work? 

I confess I’m a workaholic.   I enjoy gardening, fixing things, science fiction movies, I co-teach a bible class at my church and several times a week (when I get home from work) crash on the couch.  At the moment my leisure focuses is as a volunteer working for Partners in Compassionate Care  www.pccsudan.com  who has built a hospital called Memorial Christian Hospital in Werkok, South Sudan, Africa.   My work is with the construction team helping with facility planning, building design, preparing construction documents and organizing construction projects, I joined the group about 5 month ago.   The recent outbreak of war in South Sudan has placed a damper on the organizations construction projects, but hasn’t dampened the efforts to provide hospital care and assistance to the refugees.   I haven’t been to Memorial Christian Hospital at Werkok, South Sudan yet but hope to this time next year.  So you see, when your life is design, your leisure becomes design.