Bobby Christenson, maintenance mechanic 3, received a 2019 Crimson Spirit Award. He serves as facilities manager for WSU Everett.

Mr. Christenson’s nominator says “Bobby was hired in August 2017, a mere month after most employees moved into the new WSU Everett campus. You would think that a brand new building would come without problems but that is the exact opposite…. Our first winter in the building was an interesting one. This LEED-certified building was suddenly cold. Many staff members went to Bobby complaining of the cold and he started investigating right away. It turns out we have radiant heating in our floor and some of the heating had failed. Bobby was immediately on the phone with contractors to have them come out to fix the problem.”

“Once that was resolved, my particular office was still cold and Bobby was constantly studying the building maps, looking at our heating system to figure out why my office in particular is so cold. It wasn’t too long ago that he realized there is a duct system in a closet located within my office. This system creates a draft and any time I open or close my main door, it is pulling cold air in. Bobby has come up with a solution for the problem that we believe will take care of the temperature issues within my office.”

“I think what is really remarkable about this example is that it has been an ongoing issue and Bobby has never once made me think my issue was forgotten about or lesser than someone else’s issue. This is one of many examples of how he went above and beyond to ensure students, staff, and faculty are comfortable in their environment.”

“I want to reiterate a little more about Bobby’s work ethic. This is someone who will drive to campus at 4 a.m. when he gets an alert that a system has failed. He will stay until 5 p.m. or later on those days. He is wholeheartedly dedicated to ensuring our building is operating correctly and he doesn’t leave a problem unresolved.”

“I want to also mention that he has done so much for our students. He has served as a mentor to many, especially engineering students who need assistance utilizing tools they may have never used before. He assisted with a senior capstone project where 2 students studied the efficiency of the building. It really is difficult to put into words how valuable Bobby is as an employee. WSU Everett is lucky to have him.”

Mr. Christenson is recognized for exceeding expectations, providing superior quality service, and for his creative problem-solving skills.