Joe Fisher, associate vice president for facilities and services at West Virginia University since 1999, has been named special advisor to Narvel Weese, University vice president for administration and finance.

The appointment is effective March 1 and is for a minimum of two years, Weese said.

“Joe’s knowledge and expertise have served the University well over the past 12 years and I have come to rely on his advice and support,” Weese said, “so I am very glad he has agreed to continue in an advisory role.”

The facilities and services unit includes more than 700 employees, Weese said. He praised Fisher for recruiting and retaining such a talented team of professionals who have “a positive impact on every aspect of campus life on a daily basis.”

Under Fisher’s leadership, the University constructed the Student Recreation Center, Life Sciences Building, the Downtown Library, the Child Learning Facility, Mountaineer Station, Lincoln Hall and Honors Hall. He has also overseen creation of Master Plans for Campus Facilities and the Personal Rapid Transit and the purchase of numerous properties. He also created the Campus Sustainability Office, modernized the University Police Department and facilitated the implementation a five-year mobility/parking plan.

In addition, Fisher has served as WVU’s liaison for facilities issues to agencies such as the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Mylan Park Board and Sunnyside Up, and is a valuable member of the Division of Administration and Finance leadership team.

Randy Hudak, assistant vice president for facilities management, will serve as interim associate vice president for facilities and services while a national search, led by Senior Associate Provost Russell Dean, is conducted.

“West Virginia University is very fortunate to have an individual with Randy’s experience and skills to lead the division on an interim basis,” Weese said.

Since becoming director of the physical plant in 2003 and serving as the assistant vice president for facilities management since 2009, Hudak has led the construction of numerous facilities and has overseen significant modernization efforts in the Facilities department including the integration of student affairs auxiliary facilities, development of a highly skilled management team, transformation of the campuses’ deferred maintenance programs, upgrading the campuses’ infrastructure, initiating a recycling program that helped launch the University’s sustainability program and working with the Division of Human Resources to develop an apprentice program for skilled trade positions.

Hudak will be responsible for Facilities Management, Environmental Health and Safety, University Police, Transportation, PRT and Parking, Real Estate, Facilities Planning and Scheduling and Sustainability.

-WVU-

jb/02/28/11

CONTACT: University Relations/News
304-293-6997

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.