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Facilities Department

Facility Services

Facility Services handles maintenance, landscaping, custodial, energy, water, trash and recycling across 13.0 million square feet in the educational and general buildings on the Columbia campus. The Facilities Management Control team closed out over 23,000 work orders in 2022-23 and takes an average of 48 calls per day. See more of what falls under this team's mission work.

Leadership

For all issues that involve our group (maintenance, custodial, landscaping, emergency issue), please use the Submit a Request form or call our Facilities Management Control at 803-777-4217.

Jason Lambert, PE, SE, CEFP | Associate Vice President of Facility Services

Jason has spent over 24 years working in higher education facilities, including as the senior director of facilities at the University of Georgia, director of facilities at UT Health San Antonio and manager of athletic operations at the University of Wyoming. Here at USC, he leads a team of over 250 talented and driven technicians overseeing all aspects of campus maintenance, infrastructure construction, utility production, landscaping, custodial services, waste and recycling processing and minor renovations,. As a professional and structural engineer, he also worked as a consulting engineer for a large regional firm in the Pacific Northwest, helping rejuvenate a historical warehouse district at UW Tacoma, constructed nearly two dozen K-12 schools, and functioned as the campus engineer for two regional health care systems. Jason earned his bachelor’s in architectural engineering at the University of Wyoming, his master's in Project Management at Colorado State University and a graduate certificate of Public Administration at Valdosta State University.

Zach Schiff, PE | Director of Facilities Engineering Support

Schiff is a licensed engineer with extensive experience in facility engineering and maintenance who has successfully led large-scale construction projects and multi-skilled teams in both the public and private sectors. His career includes roles at the University of Georgia, Caterpillar, Michelin and University of South Carolina Housing. A proud Air Force veteran, he holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and master’s degrees in business administration from USC and engineering management from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Outside of work, Schiff, his wife Caroline (alumna) and their three children enjoy soccer, wakeboarding and cheering on the Gamecocks.

Justin Shinta, MBA, FMP, PMP | Director of Special Projects and Initiatives

Shinta has worked on a wide range of construction management related projects and facility maintenance initiatives throughout his career, including eight years total at Santee Cooper, Dominion Energy and Lowes Foods. Prior to that, he spent eight years in the U.S. Army before attending the military veterans program at The Citadel, where he received his bachelor’s in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He earned his master's in Business Administration at Clemson in 2019 and is a certified Facilities Maintenance Professional. A native of Charleston, he is married Ashley and has two kids. He spends his free time watching sports, playing in the yard, tinkering on house projects and coaching his son’s baseball team.

Jason D. Stock | Assistant Director of Facillities Infrastructure Construction

Jason is an accomplished Senior Project and Operations Manager with more than 23 years of progressive leadership experience spanning facilities, infrastructure, and military operations. Prior to his civilian career, he served honorably in the United States Air Force, where he managed large-scale infrastructure programs, emergency management operations, and workforce development initiatives across global installations. Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management, has received a Google Project Management certification and is a licensed commercial Drone Pilot.

Quinton Bolin | Assistant Director, Energy Plants

Quinton is a seasoned energy and utility operations leader with over 35 years of progressive experience managing power cogeneration systems, central utility plants, and high-pressure steam and electrical distribution networks. His expertise includes power generation, boiler and turbine operations, high-voltage systems, and chilled-water production contribute to keeping the USC utility operations running at peak efficiency. Outside of work, Quinton enjoys photography and travel, passions that complement his appreciation of places both familiar and far from home. He is a proud South Carolinian, who appreciates many outdoor activities which include fishing and hunting and sitting by a campfire with friends and family at the end of the day.

Dale Branham | Director, Maintenance Services

Dale is a highly seasoned construction and maintenance professional. A graduate of USC, he holds a BA degree in Geography. After college, he spent 9 years in the Air Force serving as a navigator. Upon leaving the Air Force, Dale began a career in construction and maintenance career that has spanned 32 years, so far, including 21 years here at the University. Aside from work, Dale includes in his hobby repertoire, repairing antique cuckoo clocks, keeping and loving on his miniature dachshunds, and international travel. Dale is married to Kim who has a master’s-plus-thirty degree from USC, and two adult children who are both USC graduates. The next step is to start having grandchildren who can call themselves Gamecocks.

Leroy Sims | Assistant Director, Custodial Services

Leroy holds both an Associate of Science and an Associate of Arts degree and is an Ordained Pastor dedicated to serving others with integrity and compassion. Before entering ministry, he worked as an Expediter at Eaton Corporation, where he strengthened his skills in coordination, leadership, and operational efficiency. Leroy is a devoted husband to his wife, Lillian, and a proud father of two daughters, Appollonia and Adonis. Outside of his professional and pastoral commitments, he enjoys watching movies and actively participating in community outreach initiatives.

Portrait of Thatcher Hurt from USC Facilities.

Thatcher Hurt | Assistant Director, Building Services

Thatcher is a construction professional with a strong academic foundation. A graduate of Appalachian State University with a degree in Construction Management, Thatcher brings both technical knowledge and hands-on expertise to every project. Thatcher is a Licensed South Carolina General Contractor as well as a Licensed South Carolina Construction Manager. In his free time, he enjoys being outside.

Troy Nelson | Assistant Director, Energy Management

Troy has worked with major engineering firms including Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), Alstom Group, and Combustion Engineering before joining the University. His engineering and utility experience spans global utility infrastructure projects. He joined the University as Energy Engineer and now serves as Assistant Director of Energy Management, leading campus utility infrastructure projects, overseeing budgets and performance contracts, and providing engineering support. Troy is active in professional organizations, including ASCEM (Energy Manager of the Year; Certified Energy Manager), SCAPPA (Vice President), and ASPACO. A Connecticut native, he holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and degrees in Industrial Electronics and Engineering Technology.

Norm Stewart | Assistant Director, Landscape and Waste & Recycling Services

Norman holds a BS from Appalachian State University and a master’s degree from Columbia International University. While studying at CIU, he discovered his passion for the landscape industry and later served as the Grounds Superintendent there. He joined USC in 2015 as Landscape Manager and has brought over 30 years of landscape experience. A Certified Grounds Manager with the Professional Grounds Management Society, he enjoys teaching and training new employees and is developing an in-house training program, Cultivate U, with his management team. He also serves as a University 101 instructor for incoming freshmen each fall, a role he has held since 2019. In his free time, he enjoys racquetball, boating, water and snow skiing, and spending time with his family.

Noah Ray, Assistant Director, Central Shops

Noah carries on a family tradition of supporting higher education through maintaining facilities and infrastructure. He proudly served the University of Georgia for 22 inconsecutive years of service, beginning his career at an entry level position and responding to opportunities to further serve the facilities management mission with increased responsibility and commitment. A lifelong Gamecock at heart, the Spartanburg-native returned to the great state of South Carolina with his wife of 31 years and two cats. Noah is constantly in pursuit and has no time to spare.

Portrait of Jerrod Wingard from USC Facilities.

Jerrod Wingard, Assistant Director of Work Management

Jerrod is a graduate of Midland Technical College’s trades program. He began his career at USC in 2008 with Building Services and has served in Facilities Management for the past three years. A Master Electrician by trade with a South Carolina LLR Mechanical license, Jerrod leads multiple Work Management teams and supports the university’s Emergency Management Team initiatives. He also oversees property loss and restoration projects. Born and raised in Lexington, SC, he enjoys the outdoors and is a devoted husband and father of two.

Robin Sleeper | Facilities Management Control Supervisor

Robin earned a bachelor’s degree at New Hampshire College and took on roles in retail management and business operations. Later transitioning to higher-ed at the University of NH where she supported Facilities’ program for asset management and preventive maintenance. When she relocated four years ago to South Carolina, she joined USC Facilities and now serves as Supervisor in the Facilities Management Control Center. Here she helped build the preventive maintenance program and served as an SME for AssetWorks implementation and team training sessions. Self-appointed Facilities cheerleader, Robin organizes team events and rallies participants. In her free time, she enjoys camping and traveling.

The various Facility Services teams maintain the following:

400 acres of physical space
65 acres of turf
Nearly 7,000 trees from more than 80 varieties
189 miles in sidewalk
57 acres of roofing
28,400 miles of wires in buildings
14,500 miles of pipes in buildings
21 miles combined of underground electric wiring and steam, condensate and chilled water piping
720,000 square feet of window glass.

And it delivers 1.2 million gallons of water daily and 600 million pounds of steam yearly, part of approximately $28 million of cost to power, heat, cool and provide water across the Columbia campus.

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