New Facilities Services Leader Balances Daily Management with Long-Term Vision
As the new associate vice chancellor for Facilities Services at UNC-Chapel Hill, Wendy Halsey leads a team of 900 employees dedicated to managing the University’s buildings and grounds. After beginning her role on Feb. 5, Halsey is now focusing on getting to know her large team, who she describes as passionate about their work.
“It is important to get out and meet your team and appreciate the hard work they do every day,” says Halsey. She adds that in addition to getting to know the Facilities team, it is equally important to know her division’s “customers,” the people her team supports. “We serve students first, but we also are here for Carolina faculty and staff. The sooner I can better understand their concerns and needs, the better.”
“Building connections and making sure that I have touched base with all the stakeholders before making a decision is important to me.”
Halsey says she was drawn to Carolina because of its strong academic reputation, beautiful campus and thriving community. She is also excited about the school’s great sports program, and — as a woman who played soccer while attending Stanford University — has long followed the storied success of the Tar Heel women’s soccer program. “I’ve learned that Carolina’s reputation is certainly well deserved,” she says. “It’s a beautiful place with so much tradition.”
Overseeing a large staff is nothing new for Halsey, who joined UNC-Chapel Hill after spending three years at Virginia Tech as assistant vice president for Facilities Operations. Prior to that, Halsey served 27 years in the U.S. Navy, from which she retired as a captain. While in the service, Halsey managed a number of complex facilities and construction management organizations, including the U.S. presidential retreat known as Camp David, where she served as commanding officer for two years, the first woman in that role.
Although she grew up as a “Navy brat,” Halsey had not planned on a career in the military. She enlisted for the tuition help she received for her undergraduate degree in civil environmental engineering from Stanford University. But a mentor helped her toward a career path that she enjoyed as well as diverse duty stations including Cuba, Germany, Hawaii, Italy, and a deployment to Djibouti, Africa. The Navy helped Halsey earn a master’s in urban planning from the University of Florida, a master’s in business administration from National University, and a master’s in national resource strategy from the Eisenhower School, National Defense University.
Every morning, Halsey — who says that she is known for her walk arounds — goes out and explores a different part of campus. Her days include meeting campus colleagues and key leaders at the University. She is also focusing on strategic issues, including a plan to tackle the deferred maintenance across campus. While she is experienced in fiscal matters, the University’s model is different than what she is used to, so she is learning how processes with the state construction office and UNC System Office work.
“Going forward, I expect to be articulating the facility story in a way that resonates with people so that I can get the resources for the team that’s doing the work,” she says. “By getting the right resources and equipment and making process improvements, we can make our employees’ jobs easier while improving the facilities.”
Halsey says that the Navy’s leadership training helps her in building the morale and climate critical for success in a large organization, such as her current role. “Building connections and making sure that I have touched base with all the stakeholders before making a decision is important to me.”
The military also challenged her to be a strategic thinker. “In facilities, it can be hard to keep things going on a day-to-day basis when there is always a problem to solve,” she says. “It’s important to address those issues while also taking the time to look beyond today and look 10 or 20 years out in the future so that we can be prepared.”
Noting the importance of not deferring maintenance, she is pleased that her University colleagues are on board with the idea that maintenance is critical. “We want to preserve the buildings for the next 100 years,” she says. “Keeping Carolina’s historic buildings maintained while also looking to modernize, is an exciting challenge.”
“I want to build on the great work that the Facilities team provides every day. Being a part of the efforts to improve the infrastructure and appearance of the campus is an honor, and I look forward to working with the campus community to ensure the buildings support the awesome Tar Heel experience.”
Halsey says she is really enjoying being at Carolina so far. “I’m grateful for people’s willingness to answer my questions, share ideas and ask how they can help me. I’ve found the community to be very welcoming.”
She notes the similarities between running a Navy base and a campus. “There are utilities, buildings, historical considerations and mission-important tasks; and there are lots of requirements and sometimes limited resources. I love being on a campus with the camaraderie and energy that comes from being around young people.”
When asked what she hopes to accomplish in the short term and long term at Carolina, Halsey says, “I want to build on the great work that the Facilities team provides every day. Being a part of the efforts to improve the infrastructure and appearance of the campus is an honor, and I look forward to working with the campus community to ensure the buildings support the awesome Tar Heel experience.”