The dms difference · difference Thedms Calendar Vol 1 ... devotion, friendship, ... Canada Geese...

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difference e DMS Calendar a monthly newsletter for employees Vol 1 | Issue 8 | April 2012 April 26 – Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Greengs, I am honored to be joining the Department of Management Services team once again. I was an IT manager at DMS in the early 1990s, and I am excited for this new opportunity and challenge to serve with you all and the Governor’s team as the Interim Secretary for DMS. I have spent the last 20 years working for the State of Florida in a variety of roles. Most recently I have been the Assistant Secretary for Administraon with the Department of Children and Families under Secretary David Wilkins, whom the Governor has named the State’s first Chief Operang Officer. DMS will work closely with Secretary Wilkins and the Governor’s Office to find efficiencies, savings, and implement best pracces at an enterprise level. I am eager to learn more about the unique role of this agency and provide direcon and connuity to lead the way forward. DMS has achieved some notable results recently, and I look forward to working with all of you to expand upon those successes. “The Department of Management Services is a crical part of our plan to connue finding ways to make government operate more efficiently,” said Governor Rick Sco. “With an excellent record of finding efficiencies at the Department of Children and Families, Sco will serve DMS customers and taxpayers well in his new role.” Sco Stewart was appointed as the Assistant Secretary for Administraon at the Department of Children and Families in 2011. He was previously the agency’s Chief Informaon Officer, responsible for overseeing informaon technology systems and coordinang data sharing between state and federal agencies and among our employees and partners. Previously, Sco served as Chief Informaon Officer for the Agency for Workforce Innovaon and worked as an IT director and officer for the Florida Department of Correcons, the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulaon and other state agencies. Sco also brings private sector experse from working with Walt Disney World and Scoy’s. Sco earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administraon from Florida Southern College in Lakeland and his Master of Business Administraon from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale. Sco and his wife, Judy, have been married for 28 years. They have two daughters, Kae, 27, and Kimberly, 26. Sco Stewart, Interim Secretary

Transcript of The dms difference · difference Thedms Calendar Vol 1 ... devotion, friendship, ... Canada Geese...

dif ferenceThe dms

Calendar

a monthly newsletter for employees Vol 1 | Issue 8 | April 2012

April 26 – Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day

Greetings,

I am honored to be joining the Department of Management Services team once again. I

was an IT manager at DMS in the early 1990s, and I am excited for this new opportunity

and challenge to serve with you all and the Governor’s team as the Interim Secretary for

DMS.

I have spent the last 20 years

working for the State of

Florida in a variety of roles.

Most recently I have been

the Assistant Secretary for

Administration with the

Department of Children and

Families under Secretary

David Wilkins, whom the

Governor has named the

State’s first Chief Operating

Officer. DMS will work

closely with Secretary Wilkins and the Governor’s Office to find efficiencies, savings, and

implement best practices at an enterprise level.

I am eager to learn more about the unique role of this agency and provide direction and

continuity to lead the way forward. DMS has achieved some notable results recently, and I

look forward to working with all of you to expand upon those successes.

“The Department of Management Services is a critical part of our plan to continue finding ways to make government operate more efficiently,” said Governor Rick Scott. “With an excellent record of finding efficiencies at the Department of Children and Families, Scott will serve DMS customers and taxpayers well in his new role.”

Scott Stewart was appointed as the Assistant Secretary for Administration at the Department of Children and Families in 2011. He was previously the agency’s Chief Information Officer, responsible for overseeing information technology systems and coordinating data sharing between state and federal agencies and among our employees and partners.

Previously, Scott served as Chief Information Officer for the Agency for Workforce Innovation and worked as an IT director and officer for the Florida Department of Corrections, the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation and other state agencies. Scott also brings private sector expertise from working with Walt Disney World and Scotty’s. Scott earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Florida Southern College in Lakeland and his Master of Business Administration from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale.

Scott and his wife, Judy, have been married for 28 years. They have two daughters, Katie, 27, and Kimberly, 26.

Scott Stewart, Interim Secretary

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Employee SpotlightQ. How long have you worked at DMS?A. I have been with the Department of

Management Services for about 12 years.

Q. What do you do for your division?A. I am the Mobile Communication

Services’ (MCS) Product Manager in the SUNCOM Engineering Bureau. My primary responsibilities include service and contract development, product planning and execution throughout the product lifecycle, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, engineering design, product management, project management, consulting, and quality assurance for new and current enterprise services.

I am very fortunate to work side by side with a great team of individuals who are highly technical and experienced subject matter experts and team players. Most importantly, I have the great opportunity to work closely with our valued customers, internal DMS support and engineering teams, and business partners to ensure the overall product objectives, quality of service, and quality of assurance are constantly delivered.

Q. What would people be surprised to know about you?A. I played a hard-hitter batsman and fast-paced bowler position in the game called “cricket” for my

school and college teams and play occasionally here in Tallahassee. I have had an opportunity to play league cricket in Plano, Texas, and have been known to hit the cricket-ball outside of playing grounds a number of times. Also, the last couple of years I picked up an appetite for jogging and am now running daily 7 to 8 miles. I really enjoy playing soccer and badminton on the weekends with my lovely wife, four charming children, family, and friends.

Q. Do you have any hidden talents? If so, what are they?

A. I know how to speak and read four different languages: Urdu, Pashto, Arabic, and of course English. Urdu is the commonly spoken and national language in Pakistan. Pashto is my regional and tribal language spoken in the North Western province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. I can switch between languages instantly and sometimes, without knowing it, interchangeably use words from different languages in the same sentence. I sometimes do this to my colleagues and friends, which leads to some confused facial expressions.

Q. What do you like best about working for DMS?A. I truly love the great, wonderful people and family environment at DMS. Due to my daily work

duties and responsibilities, I work with a lot of internal support teams and customers to help address SUNCOM services. Most of the time while working on various projects, I become a customer myself within DMS. Each and every time my colleagues deliver and show me their sincerity, devotion, friendship, and high standards of delivering service. This team spirit and devotion provides me the added privilege of serving the citizens of Florida.

Raghib Qureshi Product Manager, SUNCOM Engineering Bureau

Division of Telecommunications Tallahassee, Fla.

Gadsden Correctional Facility Inmates Train Dogs to Help VeteransOne-of-a-Kind Program Uses Retired Racing Greyhounds to Provide Veterans with Therapeutic Intervention

The Gadsden Correctional Facility (GCF), an all-female facility that houses 1,541 medium- and minimum-custody women inmates, whose contract is managed by DMS, is training retired racing greyhounds to help veterans deal with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

GCF partnered with the National Greyhound Foundation’s Second Chance at Life program. The program provides inmates an opportunity to train retired racing greyhounds and in the process learn compassion, teamwork, and vocational skills. In return, the newly trained greyhounds are more suitable for adoption, reducing their chances of being put to sleep.

GCF currently has four Greyhounds: Sox, Nickel, Brix, and Guypo, that are in the beginning phase of the program. During their four-to-six month training process, inmates will teach the dogs skills that will help veterans better deal with PTSD. Currently, 17 inmates at the Gadsden facility are involved with the Purple Heart Greyhounds program.

About the Gadsden Correctional Facility

The Gadsden Correctional Facility is a minimum/medium-security prison located in Quincy, Fla. The all-female facility has a capacity of 1,600+ inmates and provides rehabilitative programming, life skills, and re-entry services for all inmates. The facility is an active member of the community, including the its local chamber of commerce and many local charities.

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Tips for Dealing with Canada GeeseOnce again, it’s that time of year when our resident geese are nesting. Our geese are part of the wildlife and natural beauty that make Florida, and the Capital Circle Office Center (CCOC), such wonderful places to live and work. They are also a protected species. Because the geese that live around the (CCOC) can become a little more territorial during nesting season, please keep the following tips in mind as you walk to and from work and between buildings:

• Feeding the geese is a bad idea. It’s dangerous for the geese and could result in more aggressive and harmful behavior toward humans.

• Stay at least 20 feet away from nesting areas.

• Stay quiet while approaching or passing a nesting area.

• Look away from the geese while approaching or passing a nesting area because making eye contact can seem threatening to the geese.

• Remember that the more you ignore them, the less threatened they feel.

The Department of Management Services will take reasonable steps again this year, consistent with the regulation of such measures under federal and state law, to discourage the geese from nesting in high-traffic areas around the complex and to remediate goose excrement. If we all remain patient with the geese and follow the simple tips above, we can offer our wildlife a safe place to nest while minimizing danger to employees.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation. As always, should you have questions or need additional information, please contact the DMS Division of Real Estate Development and Management at (850) 488-2074.

DMS Moves Floridians Toward a More Connected Future ‘Broadband Grants Digest’ connects deserving organizations, programs with grants assistance

DMS’ Broadband Florida Grants Assistance Team launched its new Broadband Grants Digest, an e-mail publication that features a collection of information about grants that help increase the access to and use of high-speed internet services in Florida. The potential new applications of broadband, in areas such as telemedicine, distance learning, smart grid, and public safety, are unimaginable, and DMS is at the forefront of moving Floridians toward a more connected future.

The inaugural issue, sent last month, will provide recipients with access to grant application help for those who need it most, in an effort to reduce the digital divide and increase the digital economy.

The Broadband Florida Grants Assistance Team, which is focusing on a number of upcoming telemedicine and public safety grant opportunities, is seeking collaborators to pursue such grants as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant, which is largely for telehealth equipment.

The Grants Assistance Team is also preparing for a number of public safety grant opportunities. One is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grants , which strives to meet the firefighting and emergency-response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations.

If you or someone you know is interested in a grant opportunity, please e-mail Melanie Simmons at [email protected]. You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the SafeUnsubscribe button at the bottom of every e-mail.

The potential new applications

of broadband, in areas such as

telemedicine, distance learning,

smart grid, and public safety,

are unimaginable, and DMS

is at the forefront of moving

Floridians toward a more

connected future.

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7:30 a.m. – Arrives at the DMS Electrical Shop, located in the 900 block of South Monroe Street

9:09 a.m. – Inspects power connections in one of the programmable logic controller cabinets

8:02 a.m. – Reviews the Scada system and checks the alarm log, which tells her what alarms went off overnight

9:48 a.m. – Opens one of the high-voltage transformer boxes with a special crank using rubber-lined gloves

2:29 p.m. – Greets Energy Management Control System Operators at the “F” Building and checks on any updates

11:20 a.m. – Records the day’s tasks in maintenance log

10:56 a.m. – Puts on a special helmet and gloves to protect her face and hands

7:51 a.m. – Checks in with Master Electrician Bill Kerr

8:36 a.m. – Heads to her van to meet up with her partner, Master Electrician Randall Kelly

8:19 a.m. – Hands a report to Master Electrician Noah Mims

8:58 a.m. – Makes her first stop of the day, checking on an alarm at the West Campus Switchgear

10:02 a.m. – Checks in with Facilities Manager Brian Fienemann to brief him on the inspection

3 p.m. – Shakes hand of Fletcher Building’s Facilities Manager, Gene Sims, after dropping off infrared report

3:31 p.m. – Inspects a new switchgear that recently replaced old gear

2:10 p.m. – Runs into Carlton Building Maintenance Supervisor Felipe Caquimbo

11:03 a.m. – Uses a racking tool to carefully pull a breaker out of a high-voltage switchgear

12:33 p.m. – Provides an update to her boss, Maintenance and Construction Superintendent Rick Watson

1:18 p.m. – Loads up a laptop that she will need in order to download power variance history

1110:17 a.m. – Performs preventive maintenance on a transformer at the Central Energy Plant

12 13 1410:38 a.m. – Grabs a snack and drink for the road

10:50 a.m. – Inspects several breakers that serve buildings in the Capital Complex Center downtown

10:31 a.m. – Fills the van up with gas at a nearby gas station with Randall Kelly

Master Electrician Carla Forman has an electric personality, which suits her high-voltage lifestyle. As one of the electricians responsible for maintaining electrical equipment in DMS facilities, she regularly handles breakers (also called “switchgears” or “gears”) that each disperse more than 12,000 volts to the state’s buildings.

The first woman in Florida to earn a master electrician’s license, Forman also had to complete an accredited apprenticeship program and take the electrician journeyman’s exam before being able to take the master’s test. She’s worked at Disney’s Epcot and Magic Kingdom theme parks in Orlando and is also a trained pilot.

The role of high-voltage electricians comes with a lot of pressure, especially when you are responsible for capital facilities, such as the Collins, Larson, Fletcher, Bloxham, Holland buildings and the Senate tunnel. Breakers need regular “exercising” and inspections to ensure that DMS and other state employees can continue to serve those who serve Florida.

On this particular day, Forman and her partner, Master Electrician Randall Kelly, spent the day checking on an alarm at the West Campus Switchgear, performing preventive maintenance on several other gears throughout Tallahassee, running operational reports on the equipment, and briefing facility managers, maintenance mechanics, and control system operators.

Carla in the Life of

A Day

Forman

7

9 10

1619

1:26 p.m. – Buckles her seatbelt before driving over to the Carlton Building

201:39 p.m. – Uses the laptop to connect to the PowerLogic2000

211:44 p.m. – Discusses the process with Carlton Building Maintenance Mechanic Mike Barron

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9:13 a.m. – Resets the alarm that alerted her of the variance in power delivery

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27 28 293:40 p.m. – Discusses batteries that need to be disposed of with Randall Kelly

3:52 p.m. – Returns back to the office to upload data from The PowerLogic2000

4:06 p.m. – Checks e-mail and wraps up loose ends before leaving for the day

3:43 p.m. – Visits one last switchgear for inspection

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Births

Page 5

Recent HiresDebbie Hatcher, Agency HR

Leigh Anne Robenhorst, Real Estate

Gerry Barrios, Real Estate

David Geisler, Real Estate

Victoria Clutter, Retirement

Rebekah Sprayberry, Retirement

Hats off to Brittany Long from the General Counsel’s Office, who was given commendation from Enterprise Florida, Inc., for her contributions to its contracting efforts. She provided timely legal advice that was “professional, tactful, and gracious” and also assisted with development of a comprehensive evaluation methodology.

Tom Burgess (Real Estate) became a proud grandfather to baby Aubrey on April 1.

ofThe Hat

Tip

Computers & Office SuppliesViewSonic: Significant discounts on a variety of TVs, monitors, projectors, and more: www.viewsonic.com/stateofflorida Microsoft Office: DMS employees can obtain the Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 Edition for $9.95, and an optional backup DVD for $12, by sending an e-mail to [email protected] and including the following in the body of the e-mail: I’d like to participate in the Microsoft Home Use Program for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 Edition.

Staples: Quarterly coupons on its MFMP punch-out page, from 5% to 15% off, currently 10% or $15 off: www.staplesadvantage.com/stateofflorida/

Dell: Member Purchase Program; discount is 7% off commercial. Member ID is SS15212492: www.dell.com/us/eep/p?&dgc=IR&cid=slgmpp&lid=slgfmgt_1?~ck=bnn

Apple, Inc.: Discounts run 6% to 10% as compared to Apple’s commercial website: http://store.apple.com/us_epp_67909

New Horizons: Discounted computer software training, courtesy of Tallahassee Community College: http://workforce.tcc.fl.edu/training/information_technology/state_employees

State University Tuition Waiver (State of Florida Employee Educational Assistance Program): www.myfloridacfo.com/aadir/cm0/cm020306_attachment.htm

Mobile Phone ServicesAT&T Mobility (Coming Soon): Service plan discount is 15%; activation fees waived; accessories discount is 25%: www.att.com

Sprint: Service plan discount is 18%; activation fees waived; discount applies to new retirees http://delivery.sprint.com/m/p/nxt/dev/wdyw.asp

Verizon Wireless: Service plan discount is 19%; accessories discount is 25%; activation fees waived; discount applies to existing and new retirees: www.verizonwireless.com

The Many Benefits of Being a State Employee

HP Employee Purchase Program (EPP): Discount is 6% to 8%; registration is required. Employees may need to call to verify government affiliation: https://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/register_epp.do

TravelAVIS: Cars start at $22.25 a day with no one-way fee. AVIS State of Florida AWD #A113400: http://www.avis.com

EducationEd2Go: Discounted distance learning classes starting at $79, courtesy of Tallahassee Community College: http://www.ed2go.com/tcc/

HP Academy: For students, educators, alumni, former students, and parents of students associated with eligible K-12 and higher education institutions. The list of eligible institutions is detailed in the registration agreement. Please read the registration agreement carefully as there are purchase limits associated with this program: http://hp.force.com/external/hpacademy

Part of the value of working for the state means that, as a DMS employee, you can benefit from many programs that are available to state employees. These include the state’s health, financial and work/life programs, as well as the option of payroll deductions for a myriad of payments to personal banks and credit unions. In addition, if initiated by the employee, season tickets to local university sporting events may be payroll deducted as well.

Here is a list of a few more great deals: