President - Elect

Randolph Hare
Washington and Lee University

Platform Statement

It is always an honor to serve as leader of a professional organization of your peers.  When that organization is APPA, the honor is all the more special.  APPA has given so much to me, as it does to every member, that when presented with the opportunity to give back I welcomed it without hesitation.

I served as Vice President for Information and Research for two terms.  It was during this period while serving on the Executive Committee and working closely with the full Board of Directors that APPA’s Strategic Plan for 2011-2014 was developed and approved.  This process helped me to understand APPA’s vision for the future and the measures needed to implement it.

The challenges facing educational facility professionals are varied and daunting.  There is an urgent need to address our aging buildings and infrastructure.  The aging workforce is another challenge.  Over 30% of APPA’s senior and institutional members will retire within the next five years, and recruiting, retaining, and engaging young professionals will be critical to APPA’s continued growth.

APPA is anchored by its vision, mission, and principles and values.  These fundamentals will not change.  However, in an ever-changing world, we are constantly presented with new challenges and opportunities.  APPA must remain flexible in this highly competitive market.

We must continue to grow from the knowledge, experience, strength, and vitality of our membership.  An energized and engaged organization will soar to even greater heights.

And we must continue to strengthen international outreach through strategic alliance agreements and strategically marketed programs and services.

Through CFaR and Thought Leaders, we will maintain competency and credibility, and we will equip our members to strategically meet the challenges facing their institutions.

Our strategic plan for capital FY 2011-2014 establishes five leading strategies for the immediate future.  Their implementation will place APPA in a solid position to meet the needs of our members and our institutions.  And we must not forget that it is critical that our strategic actions be financially viable.

Effective leadership can bring our strategic initiatives to fruition and harness the best collective and collaborative efforts of our chapters, regions, and APPA International. I possess the experience and skills to fill this important leadership role, and if given the opportunity, I will do my best to serve you.

John Ott
Ohio State University/OARDC

John Ott graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in horticulture. He worked in the greenhouse/nursery/landscaping industry for several years, and owned a wholesale greenhouse business at one time.

In 1988 he began working at Eastfield College (Dallas County Community College District) as grounds supervisor. He was soon promoted to assistant director of facilities services, and that began his career in the facilities management field. He moved from Dallas to Manhattan, Kansas to become the Director of Facilities Services at Kansas State University.  A little over 15 years ago, Ott returned to Ohio as the head of the Facilities Services and Planning Departments for Ohio State University at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio.  OARDC is a large agricultural research campus for Ohio State that does not have a traditional student body, but which focuses on research.

Ott has been involved with APPA at either the regional or international level for over 20 years. He attended his first Institute for Facilities Management in 1991 and graduated in 1993. In 1995, he was a member of the host committee for the CAPPA conference at Kansas State.  Ott’s development through APPA continued with the Executive Institute in 1995, and attending Supervisor’s Toolkit in 2004. His most recent endeavor has been to obtain his CEFP certification in 2012. He received the APPA Pacesetter award in 2011. In 2001, Ott obtained funding to have APPA perform an FMEP on his campus, and found the experience to be extremely valuable in setting goals and priorities for his department and the campus.

As we approach the 100-year anniversary of APPA, I think it is a good time to pause and reflect on the proud tradition and strong foundation that has been laid for our organization. 100 years ago, a small group of men met to discuss facilities issues at their institutions. That meeting led to the formation of an organization that is now recognized internationally as a leading organization for educational facilities professionals.

As APPA turns 100, we need to look at how we can build into the future on that strong foundation that has been laid. One of the main challenges facing us in the future will be keeping up with the needs of our members. We need to continue to strengthen the quality programs already in place. The Drive-In Workshops have been an excellent addition to the training and networking opportunities already offered by APPA, and we need to continue to strengthen these programs.

New legislation and code issues will continue to be an important issue on our campuses, and APPA is poised to give facilities professional valuable needed assistance in this area. The APPA Standards and Codes Council will be a vital support piece in the future for educational facilities. Broadening this council to look at state and national code issues will be extremely beneficial to our members.

With the strategic plan as our blueprint for the future, we can build on the strong foundation of the past to create a strong organization. As I stated earlier, APPA has many quality programs in place, and I feel the future leaders need to look at how we keep these programs up to date, and fulfilling the needs of today’s educational facilities professionals. I have been a member of APPA for over 20 years and have gained a lot both professionally and personally from my associations in APPA. I would like to give back to an organization that has enriched my career.

Vice President for Professional Development

Chuck Scott
Illinois State University
Running unopposed

Scott is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with a B.S. in Plant and Soil Science and a graduate of Illinois State University with a M.S. in Political Science/Public Administration.

During his tenure as an APPA member, Scott served as the Illinois representative to the MAPPA Membership Committee for two years, chair of the MAPPA Membership Committee for two years, MAPPA president for one year, MAPPA past president for a year, MAPPA Junior Representative for a year and is currently the MAPPA Senior Representative to the APPA Board of Directors.  Scott has presented or facilitated discussion at several MAPPA meetings and conferences, was a member of the APPA Regional Relationship Task Force, and represented APPA as one of only two members to attend the Summit on Building Community hosted by the Association of College Unions International.  He is a graduate of APPA’s Institute for Facilities Management, Executive Institute, Leadership Academy, and is an Educational Facilities Professional (EFP).  Scott has received the MAPPA Presidential Service Award, and attended the 2012 Thought Leaders Symposium.

In addition to his many activities on campus, Scott is currently in his second four-year term as an elected official, representing over 54,000 community residents on the Normal, IL Town Council.  He is also involved with numerous volunteer activities and recently completed his tenth year on the board of directors for Special Olympics Illinois, serving as chairman in 2009.

Platform Statement

I have been a long-standing supporter of professional development, both personally and for my staff.  I demonstrate this support for professional development through personal actions as a graduate of APPA’s Institute for Facilities Management, Leadership Academy, Executive Institute, and as a credentialed Educational Facilities Professional.  As result of my actions, no fewer than 20 employees within my department have participated in APPA training and development opportunities.  The outcome of active professional development within facilities management departments is enhanced knowledge and greater appreciation for professionals providing facilities-related services on our campuses.

If elected as APPA Vice President for Professional Development, I will provide the same energetic support that I now deliver on my campus.  This starts with continuing delivery of current high-quality professional programming.  The Supervisor’s Toolkit, APPA U, Covey on Campus, SFO Summit, Drive-In Workshops, and professional certification process provide a variety of options for personal growth and professional development.  APPA provides opportunities for members to advance educational knowledge and existing programs need to remain in place.  Simultaneously, program review needs to occur to make certain delivery is exceptional, topics are current, and interest is growing.

While APPA’s vision and mission are clearly articulated in the Strategic Plan, contributions by the Vice President for Professional Development are essential in upholding them and ensuring that professional development opportunities provided to membership are aligned.  Competency and collaboration exist through the hard work of APPA staff and officers, thus credible program delivery will continue.  The challenge lies in continuing to identify pertinent topics of instruction, locating the best professional instructors, and identifying new methods for innovative delivery of educational programs.

Regarding collaboration, I encourage conversations with higher education peer associations such as SCUP, AIA, ACUHO-I, and ACUI.  The value in bringing together these groups is immeasurable.  Think of the strength and credibility of common messaging if similar associations collaborated and delivered it to university presidents and legislators.  Much work is to be done in this arena and I look forward to forging ahead toward building community, while simultaneously upholding the principles and values of APPA.