We are excited to announce Wade Brantner, Supply Management Services Manager with Facilities Services at WSU Pullman, as a Crimson Spirit Award Recipient.

Wade’s nominators had wonderful things to say. I want to express my support and gratitude for the services that Central Stores/University Stores has provided to ARS Research Units located on the WSU campus. I have been at WSU for 45 years and during that entire time, Facilities Services has been essential to the ability of all five ARS Research Units on campus to carry out their research missions. With the construction of the new ARS Plant Biosciences building on the footprint of Johnson Hall, a new chapter in the WSU/ARS partnership is beginning and ARS will be relying on Facility Services even more in the future.

I particularly want to express my support and gratitude for the outstanding service that Mr. Wade Brantner has provided to the ARS Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research Unit. For more than 25 years, Wade has worked with my WSU biochemist Bob Bonsall to supply compressed gases to our bioanalytical laboratory. Many times, Wade has made emergency deliveries of tanks of ultra-pure nitrogen when our in-house compressor or nitrogen gas generator failed. Our Waters SYNAPT G2-Si Mass Spectrometer requires a continual supply of nitrogen and without these emergency nitrogen deliveries, the mass spec. would have automatically vented and shut down, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in repairs, and lost productivity and research samples.

In the last several years, the failure of our compressor or nitrogen generator has become a chronic problem. To solve this problem, Wade and Bob worked together to design a more cost-effective and reliable supply of nitrogen gas as a backup to our nitrogen generator. Wade designed a system using liquid nitrogen instead of compressed gas cylinders and worked on a manifold system to supply the nitrogen to our mass spec. For the new nitrogen delivery system to work properly without interruption to our research, timed deliveries of the liquid nitrogen are coordinated between Bob and Wade. I appreciate that these types of special liquid nitrogen deliveries are atypical, and therefore, I want to thank University Stores for making an exception and express how important Wade’s service to my Bioanalytical Laboratory has been.

Wade has exceptional skills related to gases used in research and he always has the tools and knowledge to fix any problem. His focus on customer service is exceptional and his service has helped my Bioanalytical Laboratory to be highly productive for many years.

Another nominator states, I have witnessed firsthand Wade’s commitment to the university community, his customers, and the mission. He is often available to assist with last-minute requests or unexpected issues after the close of business or on the weekends. The SMS budget when Wade began as manager was running a deficit each year stocks were bloated, spoilage was high, and the warehouse was a disorganized mess. Through his collaborative efforts, creative problem solving, team leadership, and dedication the budget is balanced and we are again saving to an equipment pool, stocks are right-sized and spoilage has been dramatically reduced. The warehouse is running more efficiently and effectively than it ever has. He has stepped up to the role of manager, coaches his staff to perform well, and always works to exceed expectations. This is just one example of Wade’s exceptional customer service and dedication to the WSU community.