Dear UT Health San Antonio faculty and staff:
In efforts to continuously improve operations, adapt to ever-changing market conditions and to effectively manage growth, we are reconfiguring Facilities Management (FM), which includes a modification of its organizational structure.
These changes align with our significant growth strategy and serve to leverage our strengths and operational interdependencies strategically. We expect these changes to better meet internal customer needs, maximize value creation and ultimately improve financial performance in an area where capital needs are significant and are expected to be at higher costs than ever before.
Effective June 1, the following organizational changes will occur:
Jim Kazen will assume the role of Executive Vice President, Capital Projects. Through Mr. Kazen’s robust experience and intrinsic knowledge of overseeing major capital projects, his new role will be focused on the successful development and construction of our university’s major capital projects. Mr. Kazen will oversee the Capital Projects Office, which includes the following responsibilities:
- Construction of the UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital.
- Renovation of the Mays Cancer Center.
- Construction of the San Antonio State Hospital on behalf of the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
- Construction of UT Health San Antonio Park West.
- Continuing to serve as the liaison to the San Antonio Medical Foundation and the Texas Research and Technology Foundation for UT Health land development.
For the past 19 years, Mr. Kazen has provided oversight for the design and construction of approximately $1 billion dollars of new institutional facilities. Mr. Kazen has over 40 years of experience in designing and implementing education, community, research and health care facilities and I am very grateful for his focused effort and expertise in overseeing the major capital projects on the horizon.
Michael Charlton, PhD, has been promoted to Associate Vice President for Facilities, Safety and Risk Management. He will also serve as the institutional Facilities Planning Officer as a new cross-functional structure is formed and will report directly to me. Previously serving as Assistant Vice President for Risk Management and Safety, Dr. Charlton will now oversee Facilities Management in addition to Environmental Health and Safety to ensure facilities are up to standard, thereby guaranteeing safe and functional facilities for everyone in the organization and the constituents we serve. In this role, Dr. Charlton will oversee renovation projects valued at up to $10 million and will have direct supervisory and oversight responsibility for the following areas:
- Engineering and construction
- Operations and maintenance
- Energy plants
- Grounds/auto shop
- Clinical maintenance and operations
- Utilities
- Maintenance
- Housekeeping and event planning
- Environmental health and safety
Dr. Charlton has provided excellent and steadfast leadership throughout UT Health San Antonio’s pandemic response, routinely and capably interacting with our executive leadership, faculty, staff and students as well as our local and state partners to ensure the institution’s response was well coordinated and fully supported.
Michael Parks, Chief of Police for UT Health San Antonio, will now report directly to me. Chief Parks’ role will not be changing, only the reporting structure for UT Police Department.
I am grateful for each of these capable leaders who are working collaboratively to adjust their strategy, organizational capabilities and culture required to create sustainable impact. Working together, we will focus on prioritizing initiatives and establishing a regular strategy review process of all functions to refine and hone our vision to advance growth and meet the rising demands of these essential services to best support our educational, research and patient care services.
Sincerely,
Andrea Marks
Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer