Bob Janis knows DePaul from the floors up. He started as a custodial worker in the residence for the Congregation of the Mission, the religious community that founded and sponsors DePaul, and rose through the ranks to become vice president for Facility Operations in 2000.
Janis is currently responsible for a staff of more than 300 employees, as well as outside service vendors, who provide everything from food service and cleaning to engineering across DePaul's nearly five million square feet of building space. In addition to basic facility services, Janis also is responsible for master planning, the coordination and management of capital projects, parking, bookstores, university food service operations, and the departments of Public Safety, Student Centers, DePaul Housing, Distribution & Document Services, Campus Recreation and Business Continuity/Emergency Preparedness.
In the past 30 years, Janis has managed in excess of $850 million in campus improvement projects. Major projects include the construction of University Center, the Richardson Library, DePaul Center, the McGowan Environmental, Chemistry and Biological Science Centers, the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, the Athletic Center, Centennial Hall, two major parking decks, the west campus residential complex, Arts & Letters Hall, the DePaul Museum, Cacciatore Stadium, The Theatre School and many large renovation projects across the campuses. At present, Janis is coordinating the design of the School of Music project, and is overseeing the design of the Events Center as DePaul's owner representative.
Janis has been promoted regularly, becoming an architectural technician (1978), assistant manager (1979), building manager (1982), construction/planning manager (1983), director for Physical Plant (1984), and associate vice president for Facility Operations (1991). His exemplary service led the university to present him with the Spirit of DePaul Award for Lifetime Service in 2001.
Janis earned a bachelor's degree from DePaul's School of Continuing and Professional Studies in 1982 and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from the university's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in 1986.
Outside of DePaul, Janis has supported the Daughters of Charity and Little Sisters of the Poor for many years, consulting on building operations and assisting in the coordination of capital project work.