AFE May/June 2012 : Page 30

AFE SPOTLIGHT: HAROLD OLSEN AFE: Aft er 21 years, you are retiring from the University of Wisconsin. What legacy are you leaving behind? HO: I’ve had the wonderful fortune of training a lot of people over the years — those who have called upon me and referenced me for technical topics and issues. I’d like to believe I’ve helped them to improve their job performance and know-how and encouraged them to always seek learning opportunities. I hope that’s my legacy. AFE: What are your plans for the future? HO: I want to take time to do some writing and short topic talks for AFE and the University. Traveling in the United States is something I also look forward to. I’ve seen quite a bit of the U.S., but I’d like to see a little more. Maybe I’ll have time to do a little gardening [he chuckles] , also some volunteer work. AFE: Do you have any words of wisdom for those entering the profession? HO: Keep up to date. Don’t become obsolete. Time and tech-nology march on so you have to stay current in your knowl-edge. Once you’re obsolete you’re unemployable. FEJ Harold L. Olsen, CPE has an extensive history in the facilities engineering and education professions, including being president and chief mechanical engineer of Olsen and Evans, Consulting Engineers, Inc., from 1954–1978. For the past 21 years he’s been employed part time by the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he serves as a faculty associate — teaching and training people to design and operate mechanical systems for buildings and industrial processes. He is a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin and Illinois, and is also nationally registered through NCE. Olsen’s portfolio includes having been responsible for the design of over 1,000 mechanical systems ranging from under $100,000 to over $1,000,000. Olsen’s resume is extremely impressive; his contributions to the profession are too numerous to detail. He has earned a BSME from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and an MSME from Purdue University in Indiana. In addition to being a member of AFE for over 30 years, he holds memberships with ASHRAE, CSI, ASPE, and NFPA. He proudly served his country as a member of the U.S. Navy (aviation) during World War II. Talisa Thomas-Hall is AFE senior director of membership and operations. One of her primary responsibilities is to serve as the staff liaison to AFE chapters and regions. She can be reached at 571-203-7236 or via email at TThomashall@afe.org. You have a facility. Or does it have you? UGL Services can help you ﬁ nd the balance you need. We can make your building operations more efﬁcient and predictable–so you can make time for other things in life. Learn how at UGLServicesBuildings.com OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE I JANITORIAL I ENERGY SERVICES I OFFICE SERVICES I LANDSCAPING 30 May | June 2012 ■ Facilities Engineering Journal ■ www.AFE.org