December 20, 2023
When a Class-A office center like 150 West Jefferson in Detroit has shown over five years of cost savings, experienced minimal impact to tenants during millions of dollars in modernizations and earned an Energy Star designation, someone’s doing something right. That someone is the 16-year veteran of the property, Lead Engineer, Charlie Jones. The extent to which Charlie has gone above and beyond has earned him the distinction of 2023 BOMA Building Engineer of the Year Award.
The list of Charlie’s accomplishments over the past year could serve as the blueprint by which BOMA awards its winners! Not only did every required box get checked, and then some, but with the accolades from his team members and the customers he serves, it’s apparent that Charlie’s success can be attributed to a solid, admirable work ethic. This is a guy who lives and breathes the work. Have a conversation and likely you won’t hear about the recent birth of his grandchild, but rather the multi-million-dollar upgrade of the building’s 16 elevators. That kind of passion for the craft is testament to the value Charlie brings to 150 West Jefferson. Recently, a DTE Retro Commissioning program evaluated the 34-year-old skyscraper for potential cost-saving measures. The Energy Sciences team found the typical measures had already been addressed. “The building’s mechanical systems operate efficiently, and equipment is in good condition for being almost 40 years old,” stated the report. “The operator has advanced knowledge of the controls and mechanical system in the building.” Way to go, Charlie!
According to Engineering and Facilities Manager, Tom Bartkowiak, “Charlie is just so skilled. He does the highest-level repairs and maintenance tasks of almost anyone in our division, and his ability to do that and the cost-savings he’s racked up over his career is noticeable and measurable.” And Charlie is a born teacher, generous with his expertise. Young maintenance techs who follow in his footsteps are on the path to a great career with Continuum Services!
TOBY Awards are determined through a comprehensive process to honor commercial real estate professionals and companies that deliver excellence in office building ownership and management. Judging is based on community impact, tenant/employee relations programs, energy management systems, emergency evacuation procedures, building personnel training programs and overall quality indicators.
