On behalf of the Board of Regents, it is my pleasure to present a KUDOS Award to Mr. Richard “Dick” Wardyn, Grounds Services Supervisor, UNK Division of Facilities Management & Planning. Originally from Litchfield, NE, Dick attended Hastings Tech on a basketball scholarship where he majored in Carpentry and Masonry Construction. He worked for IBM in Tucson for 12 years and, for the past 26 years, since March 1995, he has been part of UNK. “I feel like this is home,” he says.
As Grounds Supervisor, Dick oversees the care and maintenance of all campus landscape and hardscape. With approximately 180 acres of developed area and over 1,100 trees, his work requires significant dedication. Dick leads the grounds team in daily operations that include mowing, trimming and chemical application; tree installation and maintenance; turf repair and irrigation; planting bed and equipment upkeep; snow and ice removal; sidewalk installation and repair; landscape project design and review; and trash and recycling removal. Recently, he has taken on the additional responsibilities of Interim Building & Grounds Services Manager: overseeing carpentry, painting, and locksmith services for UNK’s two million square feet of building space; coordinating maintenance construction projects; and supervising automotive maintenance of more than 60 vehicles.
All of this adds up to a hefty job description, but he covers it like a pro. A Loper sports fan, Dick’s most gratifying projects have been working with Athletics in the installation of field turf at Foster Field and bleachers at the Health and Sports Center. “In facilities management, we are faced with new and challenging obstacles every day” says his supervisor, Interim Director of Facilities Management & Planning Michael Cremers. “I can always depend on Dick to navigate those challenges thoroughly and effectively. I am truly thankful to have him on our team."
It is an honor to recognize Dick Wardyn for his outstanding work, his willingness to undertake additional responsibilities, and his exceptional commitment to UNK. – Joining him today is his wife, Laura, and his supervisor Michael Cremers, UNK Director of Facilities. (Laura is a Student Accounts Technician in UNK’s Finance Office.)