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, Department of Housing, Distribution & Document Services,
Suburban Campuses, 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.