For the past six years, Ronnie Breckenridge has helped Christian Brothers University be one of the most charming, beautiful, and well-kept campuses around.
As the Director of Physical Plant and Maintenance, Breckenridge and his team of six are responsible for all things related to mechanical and electrical systems, plumbing, and equipment maintenance. Groundskeeping and custodial services are primarily handled by contractors.
From fixing a dripping faucet or changing out a light bulb to work as extensive as coordinating repairs to the Alfonso Dining Hall, there is not an area of campus that Breckenridge doesn’t touch.
Prior to joining CBU, Breckenridge was on the maintenance team at the Catholic Diocese of Memphis off of Shelby Oaks Drive. His boss at the Diocese accepted a job at CBU and not long after, encouraged Breckenridge to join him on the Facility Services team. Breckenridge took the opportunity to advance and was promoted quickly thanks to his strong work ethic and expertise.
“Ronnie works hard every day to ensure our facilities are ready to go for the students, faculty, and staff,” said Dr. Andrew Assadollahi, Dean and Professor in the Gadomski School of Engineering. “He takes his vocation very seriously and always thinks, ‘How can I make this better for the students?’”
With so many buildings and projects, Breckenridge has to have excellent organizational skills to ensure students and staff have fully operational spaces to work, sleep, eat, and play.
“A student will call in and say the cabinet broke in their kitchenette,” said Breckenridge, providing an example of a common student request. “We handle day-to-day issues like that, and during the summer, when students move away, we do a complete ‘get-ready’ on all of the dorm areas to be prepared for the next semester. We fix all bulbs and faucets, repaint, and overall get everything back in shape. There’s a short amount of time and a lot to do.”
The Alfonso Dining Hall project is among the largest Breckenridge has managed since coming to CBU. The cafeteria was damaged when a fire broke out in a different area of the building.
“I have a major role in that work,” said Breckenridge. “I am the point of contact managing that project and seeing it through to the end. I deal with the insurance, the mitigation efforts, and emergency services. Pretty much, if there’s a disaster, it falls into my plate, whether it’s full or not.”
Although he’s always busy and multi-tasking, that schedule suits his personality.
“It’s fun,” said Breckenridge. “I like it. I like it all. There are times that are challenging, but I like fast-paced energy. I’m kind of a hyper person!”
One of the many highlights, so far, of his time at CBU was when his wife completed her bachelor’s degree.
“That was a perk of me working here. She could attend school for free,” said Breckenridge. “She started that degree prior to us meeting 30-something years ago. Once we started a family, she pulled out of school. When I got to work here, our kids had graduated and moved away, so she went back and finished a degree in business management. That makes her the smarty-pants in the house.”
It’s no surprise that many on campus love to work with Breckenridge and appreciate his no-nonsense sense of humor paired with a devotion to making the campus the best it can be.
“Ronnie is a man of loyalty and dedication to Christian Brothers University,” said Beth Gerl, Vice President for Student Affairs. “He’s a great colleague to work with morning, noon, and night!”
Breckenridge’s office is in the Office of Campus Facilities in the Maintenance Building.
