UWinnipeg is an urban and vibrant campus. The members of the Physical Plant Department are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the University’s facilities. Together, these facilities cover 966,000 square feet on more than eight acres of landscaped property. Combined, team physical plant is literally the Jack of all trades, and masters of all on campus. They are the ones who clear the snow before you get to school, make sure your pathways are lit and do everything else from getting the temperature in your office just right, to painting spaces, to replacing your lost key, and delivering the mail.
Yuri Berezovsky, ©UWinnipeg
Yaroslav (Yuri) Berezovsky
Yuri is a familiar face around campus and one that you will always find smiling. You might find him tinkering with things that need to be tightened and aligned or stopping a leak. You might spot him moving tables, setting up classrooms with Nick or one of the Mikes. Yuri calls himself a “Jack of all trades.”
He likes his job. He thinks it’s great. When Yuri is not on campus you can find him on his bike.
Something that might surprise people about Yuri is he enjoys winter swimming, he says, “I like winter more than summer. I like standing barefoot in the snow.”
In the summer he also has a daily ritual of walking barefoot in the grass.
Favourite movie: “Anything romantic!”
Chad Capner, ©UWinnipeg
Chad Capner
Chad is an electrician on campus. When asked what about he likes about his job, he had a lot to share: “There are two parts that I love about my job. I enjoy applying creative thinking to our projects. We can come up with some pretty cool methods of install, and some really neat and efficient ways to save on energy and materials. The second part that I love about my job is a little bit hard to explain. It’s a little feeling that I get when we ‘flick the switch’ upon completion of a project. There exists a few seconds where you find yourself standing with your fingers on the circuit breaker or disconnect and you’re ready to apply power to the circuit. In those few seconds, you are going over your entire installation in your head and making sure there are no mistakes or loose ends. Loose ends could spell disaster! Once you are confident in your install, you close your eyes and flick that switch…that’s when that little feeling kicks in. For me, it’s a mixed feeling of pride, satisfaction and relief…and it’s one of the best parts of my job!”
His advice for a student: “There is no substitute for hard work, so get off your phone, get your butt to the library and crush this!”
“When I am not on campus you can find me at home with my wife Brianna and our daughter Aria. We are probably watching Moana for the millionth time.”
Favorite movie: “Moana, I can’t get those songs out of my head!”
Favorite book: The Very Cranky Bear
Favorite word: “Malade!”
Nickname: CAP
Superhero: “The Punisher”
Wade Fry, ©UWinnipeg
Wade Fry*
Wade Fry is a UWinnipeg student who is working on his BA in history and education. He works with Physical Plant during the summer and enjoys working outside. When Wade is not on campus he says, “You can find me at home sleeping my life away.”
Wade might be enjoy his sleep but he is also a champion wrestler: “I’m a three-time state champion for wrestling in the state of Nevada.”
His advice for his fellow students, “Stay in the books and make sure NOT to procrastinate.”
Favourite spot on campus: The Duckworth Center.
Favourite lunch/snack on or around campus: Diversity muffin at the Cafateria.
Favourite movie: 8 seconds
Favourite book: Old Yeller
Favourite word: “Cheers!”
Favourite super hero: “My grandpa.”
Ryan Kjernisted, ©UWinnipeg
Ryan Kjernisted
Called Kjerni by his friends, Ryan like Chad (above) is an electrician on campus and likes the people he works with. His advice for students is, “remember to have fun.” When he is not on campus you can find him at the Buhler Recreation Park.
Favourite spot in campus: Buffeteria
Favourite snack/lunch on campus: Garbonzo’s
Favourite movie: The Rock
Favourite word(s): “Come on!”
Favourite superhero: Deadpool
Rebecca Pedneault, ©UWinnipe
Rebecca Pedneault*
Rebecca is the 2017 Sustainability Award winner, and just graduated from UWinnipeg this past June with a BSc majoring in biology and environmental studies and sciences with a minor in geography. She is a biology lab and teaching assistant, and for the past two summers she has worked with UWinnipeg’s Physical Plant helping maintain the campus grounds. Rebecca earned the 2017 Sustainability Award for her introduction of a plastic bag recycling program on campus where students, staff and visitors can bring their plastic shopping bags to recycle and/or join as a volunteer.
What Rebecca likes most about her job is the diversity of tasks, allowing her to discover her likes and dislikes which has helped direct her through decisions in her studies and towards a career goal.
“When I am not on campus you can find me outdoors spending time with family and friends. I like gardening, nature photography, hiking, swimming and basketball!”
Rebecca’s advice for her fellow students: “My one piece of key advice for a first year student would be to get involved on campus and start networking with other students and staff.”
Nick name(s): Beck, Becky or Becks
Favourite superhero: Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy
Favourite spot on campus: “The Greenhouse at the Richardson Collage for the Environment and Science Complex.”
Favourite lunch/snack on or around campus: “My favourite lunch/snack on or around campus is the zucchini walnut bread.”
Favourite movie: Shutter Island.
Favourite book: The Holy Bible.
Favourite word: “Perhaps.”
Kevin Yumul, ©UWinnipeg
Kevin Yuml
Kevin is in charge of running the UWinnipeg Mail Room. You will often see him on campus delivering and picking up the mail for departments across campus. He also does a little shipping and receiving from time to time.
Kevin enjoys his work, “I like that half my day is walking around the campus, interacting with everyone at UWinnipeg and the other half of my day is working in my office. I like to live a ‘balanced’ lifestyle and this job definitely fulfills that on a daily basis.”
His advice for students is, “You only get a few years of being a student, so along with studying and working hard, try to balance that by making some fun memories. Everyone has a phone these days, record a fun video at school. Take a photo, capture those moments that will last the rest of your life. My wife graduated from the Education in 2008 and we love seeing her old photos from when she was attending UWinnipeg.”
When Kevin is not on campus you can find him at home hanging with his daughters, “I have two daughters, Sadie (3) and Peyton (1) who are a handful at the moment, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I love it,” and has a rescue dog named Malakai.
What people might not know about Kevin is he enjoys cooking, “Any holiday that has turkey on the menu, I offer to cook it because I love doing so. This past Thanksgiving I cooked two turkeys for the two parties we hosted at my house.”
His nick name is Kev, “because you know Kevin is pretty long.”
Favourite spot on campus: “From 12-1, I’m usually at the Bill Wedlake Fitness Centre in the Duckworth Building. Its a great place to work out and everyone in there is working real hard to achieve their fitness goals.”
Favourite lunch/snack on or around campus: “I’m a big fan of the zucchini loaf in the cafeteria. And Bahn Mi King across the street from Wesley has a great Barbecue Chicken Sandwich.”
Favourite movie: “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, I remember where I watched it, who I was with, and even what I did after the movie and it came out in 2003.”
Favourite book: Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Favourite super hero: “If I had to say, it’d be Superman because I watched Smallville religiously.”
Favourite word: “Optimal.”
*summer season
