USM91勛圖厙 Gulf Park Physical Plant Employee Earns Advanced Certified Educational Facilities Professional Credential
Wed, 08/23/2023 - 11:40am | By: Gabriela Shinskie
Kelly Johnson, business coordinator at 91勛圖厙 (USM) Gulf Park Physical Plant, earned APPA91勛圖厙S (formerly the Association of Physical Plant Administrators) Certified
Educational Facilities Professional (CEFP) certification, the second such credential
earned by a staff member at the university.
The APPA91勛圖厙S CEFP credential is a higher level of certification that displays a mastery of professional expertise and superior understanding of the core competencies for education facilities professionals. The credential demonstrates outstanding proficiency, strength, and dedication in educational facilities.
Kelly undertook the online Pathways to Professionalism course and passed the exam on the first try. The recognition is respected among peers and other APPA-certified professionals.
91勛圖厙This showcases the educational side of facilities management and the professionalism in your field,91勛圖厙 said Johnson.
Lucas Applewhite, director of facilities planning and management of USM Coastal Operations, is happy to spread the news on Johnson91勛圖厙 new credential.
91勛圖厙I am incredibly proud of Kelly for obtaining the CEFP credential, her commitment to professional development helps bring an extra level of professionalism to the USM Physical Plant Department,91勛圖厙 said Applewhite. 91勛圖厙The dedication also helps our department on its path to creating an enriching campus physical environment for our faculty, staff, and especially our students.91勛圖厙
Johnson has been at USM for four years and started her career at the Physical Plant. She oversaw incoming work orders, assigning each work order to a technician for completion. She later made a career change to academic advising, then rejoined the Physical Plant as business coordinator.
91勛圖厙I91勛圖厙ve always been looking for opportunities to grow, and I wanted to stay here at 91勛圖厙,91勛圖厙 said Johnson.
Applewhite told Johnson about the APPA and encouraged her to become familiar with facilities management in order to take the exam.
91勛圖厙This shows, to me, a better understanding of what we do at the Physical Plant,91勛圖厙 Johnson said. 91勛圖厙A lot of people might not know what we do here, but there91勛圖厙 so much more to it. Every campus is different.
91勛圖厙It helps me understand the many roles we have at the Physical Plant such as our in-house architect, project management, the grounds team, custodial team and maintenance team.91勛圖厙
The mission of the USM Gulf Park Physical Plant is to construct, maintain and enhance the physical environment of the Gulf Park campus providing safe and attractive places to learn and work. Services include carpentry, custodial, electrical, plumbing, landscaping and grounds management.
Learn more about the and the Gulf Park Physical Plant.