Pride In Our People: Brendan

Our digital series, Pride In Our People, features the incredible staff at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium through written first-person narratives and/or podcast interviews.

Today, we are featuring bRENDAN, FACILITIES/MAINTENANCE MANAGER!

This is his story…

I am the Facilities/Maintenance Manager. My working relationship with the Zoo began when I was a Project Manager for an outside masonry contractor. We were under contract to construct all the buildings encompassed within Jungle Odyssey, The Islands, and Jambo Grill. We also performed work in other areas, including the Ungulate and Red Panda buildings, and installed perimeter gate brick piers coming up One Wild Place.

I had to coordinate with various trades daily. This, combined with working in the many different aspects of the construction field since high school, gave me a solid foundation. With my construction background and a Degree from Penn State University in Commercial Recreation and Park Management, my job at the Zoo is a perfect fit. It combines my field experience and my educational background in a setting with which I am familiar.

One of the most important aspects of my position is the relationship I have with my team. I manage several different trades within the Maintenance Department, which consists of painters, electricians, HVAC techs, plumbers, carpenters, and a Mechanic. To be successful, we must be able to communicate and collaborate as a cohesive unit. We are tasked with work order requests from every department associated with the Zoo, so prioritizing work is a key component to staying on task and getting work completed in a timely manner. In addition to the daily work orders, we are often given the opportunity to complete small scale projects and renovations. My department is also highly involved in many of the special events we host here at the zoo. Providing electric for the Asian Lantern Festival and Christmas Light Display has been a challenging but rewarding feat. We are also involved in the set-up of all events, including Summer Safari, ZooBoo, and the many Corporate/Weddings we host. I am very lucky to have such skilled and attentive tradesmen on the staff, and we take pride in our work.

A rewarding benefit of working at the Zoo is getting to interact with visitors daily. Striking up conversation always keeps the day interesting, and I always learn something new, often accompanied with a good laugh. Working with the other departments and staff within the Zoo, makes achieving our goals very attainable. I would not be successful without the support of my direct report manager. He is always there to assist me and allows me the freedom to run my department as I desire.

One of my favorite aspects of working at the Zoo is being around the wide variety of exotic animals. I have grown accustomed to the many behavioral habits of some of my favorite animals such as Lewis the Giraffe. They all have their own unique personalities. I have memories that will last a lifetime!

Thank you for all you do, Brendan!