When a Food Stores employee made a frantic phone call to Refrigeration Mechanic II Rob Herig at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 13, Herig displayed his hardworking mentality.

“I got the call that Food Stores’ freezer temperature was rising,” said Herig. “I went in at 1 a.m. and worked on the four evaporators until around 4 a.m., and then came back on Sunday to finish the maintenance.”

Although the maintenance Herig performed during the weekend was routinely scheduled for Monday, June 15, Don Swanson, Food Stores Warehouse Manager, was concerned about losing the $750,000 worth of inventory being held in the freezer.

“Having someone like Rob really makes my job easier and less stressful,” wrote Swanson in a letter to Herig’s supervisor, Skilled Trades Supervisor John Phillipich. “His willingness to come in and get the job done, on little or no sleep, was very much appreciated and noticed.”

When asked about his employees, Phillipich said, “The Physical Plant strives to hire good people, and Rob is an example of that. We are fortunate to have quality people who are also excellent mechanics.”

Herig echoed Phillipich’s opinion of the mechanics staff. “We get called in on emergencies a lot,” he said. “I didn’t do anything the other five refrigeration mechanics would not do or have not done."

June 25, 2009