Employees of the Month – Inner Harbor Complex Team

Gary Gray (3rd from right, in back) and his Inner Harbor Complex maintenance team ensured smooth operations for the Governor and his staff while they were working out of the Governor’s Baltimore office.

Seldom do we wonder who’s keeping the lights on, maintaining a comfortable temperature or emptying the trash cans when we arrive every morning at our jobs in state facilities. Arguably we don’t need to know; we simply expect it.

So, who are the people performing those tasks? They’re DGS employees, and the essential services they provide were on full display in late April, when Governor Hogan moved his office from Annapolis to Baltimore to better monitor the week-long civil unrest in the city following the death of Freddie Gray.

“We keep the Governor’s Baltimore office in a state of readiness by inspecting it every day,” said Gary Gray, Inner Harbor Complex (IHC) Superintendent. “We have to anticipate that he or his staff will work out of this office at any time.”

One of nine state-owned buildings comprising the IHC that Gary and his team maintain, the Governor’s Baltimore office is located at 6 St. Paul St., in the William Donald Schaefer Tower.  Much of the work they perform is behind the scenes, even when there is such a high profile figure as Governor Hogan in the building.

No detail, however small, was overlooked during the Governor’s stay. Heat and HVAC set points were adjusted to reflect the long hours that the Governor and his staff worked, and Dorant Spence, Complex HVAC Mechanic, regularly monitored the temperature readings. Housekeeping was there early to clean the office, followed by Clyde Strother, IHC Assistant Superintendent, who was on site at 5:30 AM every day to conduct an inspection and confirm that everything was in place. And someone was there until 9 PM every day in case of problems. DGS staff had a podium in place and the sound system wired in advance of the Governor’s press conferences. Parking at the building was rearranged to accommodate Governor Hogan and his staff.  Even the Governor’s executive protection detail was made comfortable.

“My team makes it happen,” Gary said about the work they performed every day. “They’re a small group, but they’re a mighty group.”

Ensuring that every work day ran smoothly for the Governor and his staff also required that their offices be stocked with supplies. Gary’s team took care of this, making sure that everything necessary was on hand – from pencils to white boards.

The highlight of the week came at the end, when the Governor sent a note of thanks to Mike Steadman, Senior Maintenance Mechanic.

“We’re proud to take care of the Governor’s office, and we don’t take it lightly” Gary said. “When Mike got that note, it made all of us feel good about the work we do.”

For their service while the Governor and his staff were working out of his Baltimore office, and for the work they perform throughout the year for state agencies housed in Inner Harbor Complex buildings, Gary and his IHC team are our DGS Employees of the Month.