Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service was created to recognize those with extraordinary professional achievement who have repeatedly sought improvement of themselves, their campuses and, ultimately, the State University of New York, and in doing so, have transcended the normal definitions of excellence. It is one of the excellence awards handed out during an Oct. 27 ceremony.

Wayne Schneider, assistant director of operations for physical facilities, holds an associate degree in applied science, electrical technology from Broome Community College and a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Tri State University in Indiana. He coordinates special events, responds to critical incidents, oversees skilled trades employees, manages multimillion-dollar budgets, interacts with people from across campus and beyond its borders — and possesses an unparalleled dedication and passion for his work. His drive to understand the operational side of his role, as well as the “people” side, has transformed him into the person with the single-most diverse knowledge of the campus. Though affiliated with the campus for eight short years, he has systematically learned about the campus by poring over blueprints, touring buildings, walking roofs and utility lines, and entering crawl spaces to become the go-to authority on all things related to campus physical facilities operations. By nature and training a first-responder, he carries the qualities that make him a first-rate paramedic with him in his daily role and never hesitates to answer a call to campus no matter the time of day or night, showing the same level of urgency responding to a call for a health and safety emergency such as a fire or Harpur’s Ferry call as he does for operational issues like setting up an athletic event or advising a staff member. There is never a sense of “It’s not my job” or “I’m off duty” from him. Always looking for a result that’s the best for the University, and as the face of physical facilities for most of the campus, he is an inspiration and a role model for everyone.