President's Appreciation Award Nomination Letter
As lead carpenter for Maeser Building projects, Denny’s craftsmanship and example extend far beyond carpentry. His caring nature and Christlike service add great value to the university.
Denny led the massive renovation project to bring the Maeser restrooms to ADA compliance. The project was fraught with complications and unexpected frustrations. As the oldest building on campus, the thick plaster walls were resistant to change. As an example of one of the many surprising discoveries Denny and his team encountered, hidden cement barriers behind sheetrock walls revealed themselves during demolition. As a result, blueprints were sent back to the drawing board.
A surprise at every turn became the daily, weekly, and monthly mantra. Many others would rightly complain, even leave the project, but Denny’s steady calm amid the storm sustained us in the chaos. It is hard to properly convey the entire meaning when we say “chaos!” We have photos we could share, but moving walls is never a tidy job. Despite innumerable supply delays, not to mention COVID times, Denny communicated every step of the way, and we felt we were all part of the team. Denny also connected with other Physical Facilities team players to coordinate the many moving parts of this Herculean task.
Denny lives his life as an ambassador of the Savior. He is considerate, kind, and professional. Recently, he rallied the carpenter team together to facilitate another office shuffle in our area, ensuring our needs were met with an extremely timely turnaround. Denny’s thoughtful demeanor and honed skills enable him to coordinate his team of carpenters carefully and expertly. His craftsmanship is apparent in the detailed woodwork he designed and installed in keeping with the beauty of the building.
His sense of reverence for this historic building was evidenced in the way he tidied his tools at the end of each day, not an easy feat in thick sheetrock dust. Now, the Maeser bathrooms are both ADA compliant and stunning. In fact, they won the people’s choice award and were featured in the Summer 2021 edition of Y Magazine!