The 2018 College of Engineering Outstanding Staff Award was presented to Facilities Management Coordinator George Carter who supports the Department of Mechanical Engineering. First awarded in 1990, the award honors a staff member who has made outstanding contributions benefiting students, staff and faculty.
Carter began his career with CU Boulder two and a half years ago following 17 years of project management in commercial construction. In college, though he started in civil engineering, he was soon drawn to a degree in construction science where he honed an array of practical skills in business, project management and construction law. Now, Carter’s role involves everything from coordinating lab space and moving faculty and staff to capital equipment inventory management and project planning and execution. Kat McConnell, a colleague of Carter’s says, “What I’ve learned from George is that a really great Facilities Management Coordinator is everywhere! He’s absolutely someone I should know regardless of how our jobs intersect.”
“The most rewarding part of my job is being able to help people,” Carter says. “I enjoy seeing students, faculty and staff able to function more efficiently and productively due to my efforts.”
Carter follows in his father’s footsteps whose generous demeanor is a source of inspiration to him.
A collection of words colleagues use to describe George Carter, winner of the 2018 Outstanding Staff Award
One of Carter’s favorite projects was moving an 8,000-pound piece of lab equipment for two mechanical engineering professors, a project that took coordination with a rigging company, travel along the Front Range and monumental amounts of planning. Carter says, “The equipment move-in went very smoothly and without incident. Everyone involved stayed safe and it was a fun move.” Professor Ronggui Yang says, “Without help from George, our project wouldn’t be as successful.”
Carter feels fortunate to be working with the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
He says, “The camaraderie between exceptional people makes this department unique. We’re all working together toward the same goal.”
Upon receiving the Outstanding Staff Award, Carter would like to give special thanks to John Coyle for mentoring him and showing him the ropes around campus.