-
Meet Ed Banzy
The Personnel Team will be interviewing a different member of the staff in each edition of the Spire so we can learn more about what they do here in the church, as well as what makes them tick in their off time. This month, let’s get to know our Building Manager, Ed Banzy!What’s a typical day like in your job at FCCW?
While most staff and renter meetings or contractor appointments have been previously scheduled, there is always an element of unpredictability because of the numerous activities that take place each day. Not to mention the size of the building and the time it takes to go from one end to the other or up and down each level!
How about a typical day off?
A typical day off will find me running my routine errands to BJs, the hardware store or farm stand to gather items for the garden or projects around the house. I also have dog walking responsibility on my off days and Shadow likes to go to Horn Pond. Sometimes after our walk we’ll swing by the church to visit with the staff.
What’s a job you held in the past that influences the one you have now?
I held the Church Administrator/Building Supervisor position at both the Congregational Church of West Medford (2 years) and First Congregational Church in Somerville (3 years). Having had my own engineering consulting business for 25 years taught me organizational and corporate skills such as negotiating, accounting, budgeting and marketing.
How did you decide to take your current position at FCCW?
At first, I didn’t! I intended to stay in Somerville, but after reassessing the position at FCCW, I realized it better suited my background and experience as a mechanical engineer and also would be less administrative than my previous position. It also was closer to my home in Woburn.
What’s your favorite thing about working here?
Getting to tell people what they don’t want to hear…just kidding. The most satisfying part of the job is being able to upgrade/repair some of the maintenance issues that have been deferred for many years and to institute “green initiatives” such as water use reduction and Wi-Fi integrated thermostats.
Any advice for someone looking to pursue your line of work?
You need to have experience with and operational understanding of toilets, faucets, door hinges, thermostats, heating systems, piping, etc. The ability to use hand tools is a necessity, as is a handyman mentality. You also need a huge amount of patience. Getting things done in a Congregational setting can sometimes take quite a while!
What’s the longest you’ve gone without sleep, and why?
When I travelled to Finland on business and landed in Helsinki on June 20, which happened to be the summer solstice. Because there was daylight for 22 hours, with the sun only dropping to the horizon for 2 hours each night, I was up for about 70 hours straight!
