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K-State Today

December 18, 2013

New developments in the Division of Facilities

Submitted by Communications and Marketing

Cindy Bontrager, vice president for administration and finance, announces transitions occurring within the Division of Facilities beginning immediately.

Ed Rice will step down from his duties as associate vice president, but will continue to serve the division as facilities project coordinator. He will be the key player in organizing the Central Association of Physical Plant Administrators Conference, which will be hosted by Kansas State University in fall 2015. Rice will coordinate this significant project along with Ed Heptig, director of facilities maintenance.

Rice will begin phased retirement in July 2014 through December 2015. Rice has been at the university for 26 years as the associate vice president for the Division of Facilities. He has been active in the national Association of Physical Plant Administrators, serving as president in 2004- 2005. He also served as president of the Central Association of Physical Plant Administrators and President of the Rocky Mountain Association of Physical Plant Administrator region while at Montana State University. Rice served 12 years on the Central Association of Physical Plant Administrators board as region representative, historian and president.

"Dr. Rice has served the university in a challenging position managing the universities infrastructure and buildings requiring tremendous investments with very limited resources," Bontrager said. "We wish Ed the best as he begins phasing toward the end of his professional career." 

A retirement reception is planned in the spring to honor the work Rice has done at the university.

On Jan. 6, 2014, the department of campus planning and facilities management will merge back into the Division of Facilities, and Ryan Swanson will become the associate vice president for the Division of Facilities. Swanson joined the University in September, coming from Wake Forest University where he served as university architect and director of planning, construction and space management. Swanson is a licensed architect with LEED certification holding both a Master of Architecture degree and a Master of Business Administration.