A message from the Capital Program

In reflecting on the expansive Yale career of John H. Bollier, colleagues from across the department have shared their sentiments. In this interview, Keith Fordsman, director of the capital program for the Office of Facilities, describes John’s imprint on him and the greater University, among other things.

What is the first project you worked on with John? What year was it?

I joined the University in 2016 as the Benjamin Franklin and Pauli Murray residential colleges were halfway through construction. More than 900 beds and $400.0 million in construction cost is extremely large for a building project. The scale and design complexity of this project was certainly intimidating for someone new. For John, however, this was another day at work.   

What have you learned about Yale that you would have not already known without John’s perspective?

John has a deep understanding of the academic’s perspective and the researcher’s perspective from his time at the School of Medicine. John has been helpful to understand the “why” behind each project. 

How has John impacted your career at Yale?

Joining the Facilities team past the midpoint of my career was not easy. Insider information on departments, history, and referencing multiple Yale-centric perspectives was essential for me to be successful. This mentorship came from John and usually in the form of offline advice.  

What is the most rewarding project that you’ve worked on with John?

Our small-scale work for incoming first-year students with accessibility challenges. John has always supported the creativity needed to accomplish workflow in short periods of time and always with the end user experience in mind. 

Fun fact?

I think it is an urban legend that John rides motorcycles. I have never seen it for myself, and like Bigfoot, I will hold out for the photo or video to believe it. 

• Learn more about John’s imprint through a message from the Office of Sustainability.