A message from Operations and Engineering
December 16, 2021
In reflecting on the expansive Yale career of John H. Bollier, colleagues from across the department have shared their sentiments. In this interview, Anthony Kosior, director of operations and engineering 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 started at Yale in 2007, and the first major utilities project I worked on was building a cogeneration plant as part of the Sterling Power Plant at the Medical School. It was a significant expansion of the Sterling Power Plant, which was needed to support the campus’ growing footprint. While it wasn’t the flashiest project on campus, in our world, it’s all about the inside of a building and not necessarily what’s visible on the outside.
This project was built mostly underground. It was a former thermal water storage tank that was drained and repurposed as the floor for the turbines and main equipment that powers the cogeneration plant. Some of it sits above ground, and I remember working with John to ensure that it was integrated with the surrounding architecture of the medical campus. It was interesting to work through those details together, which led to great results.
How has John impacted your career at Yale?
He has had a big impact on my career. He has provided me with a tremendous amount of opportunity. I’m here today with his support, and he has given me good guidance. I’m truly grateful. We’ve worked well together. I’m going to miss him.
What will you miss about John the most?
John has always had a way of understanding some of the most complicated issues regardless of the size of the problem. Regularly, we deal with a host of major to minor problems. When I sit back and think about it, it’s truly amazing. I’ve been able to go to him with some small, detailed issue or more significant system failure, and he breaks it down and asks enlightened questions that give us a different spin on things, which at times opens up potential alternative solutions.
I respect his persistence and understanding of technical issues and his ability to ask good pertinent questions. Then, in the end, we are in a better place than we were previously. That is what I will miss most.