On weekends, you may find Ron Wefing at a park with his dog, Buddy, or enjoying a car show. During the week, you'll find him assisting students as the warehouse and inventory manager for the Office of Housing and Residence Life.
Wefing has spent five years at UNCW overseeing all the parts and appliances in UNCW's 12 on-campus communities. From light bulbs and blinds to doors and ceiling tiles, it all passes through Wefing's warehouse. Though it is challenging to maintain buildings that date back to 1971, he does it with the help of UNCW students, many whom begin working in the warehouse in their freshman year.
"It so rewarding to have student workers start with me as freshmen and watch them grow and mature into adults," said Wefing. "I enjoy being able to pass on the many life lessons that I've learned and teach them skills they'll have for the rest of their lives."
With the help of students and technicians, most maintenance requests are completed within 24 hours. While most students head home for the summer, Wefing and his colleagues work throughout the summer to prepare the residential buildings for Move-In Day when all students are welcomed to a well-maintained living environment.
In 2018-19, Wefing plans to overhaul the warehouse to improve efficiency and organization, starting with a new inventory management system that will make it easier to locate products to complete work orders faster.
As always, his plans are designed to serve UNCW students. Buildings do not make homes, he says; people do.
"UNCW is special because of all the wonderful people I get to work with, from the top down," said Wefing. "The people are supportive and caring. We all have the same goal: make the students' lives better."
-- Brandon Sans '19
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