Earlier this year, John Renwick was honored as one of the Employees of the Year in the safety/heroism category for coming to the aid of a campus visitor.
While humbled to be singled out as one of the recipients, Renwick said he was glad he could render assistance to an individual in distress.
Renwick, a facilities management Zone 4 staff member, noticed a stopped car blocking traffic on Alumni Way, near the Residence Dining Hall (RDH) on June 3, 2013. He discovered the man was in diabetic shock.
“The man’s eyes were glazed, and he was sweating and unresponsive,” stated Renwick. Because a co-worker in facilities management was a diabetic, FM employees received training on many of the symptoms of low blood sugar. Renwick realized the man was slipping into a diabetic coma.
After asking a bystander to contact campus police, Renwick found someone with a granola bar for the driver to eat. Paramedics responded to the scene and transported the individual to a nearby medical facility for further treatment.
“Fortunately, I was in the right place at the right time, and I was glad that I could help out in the situation,” Renwick said.
Born in Birmingham, Ala., Renwick noted his family moved to Charlotte when he was six months old. In his current role, he handles building maintenance for campus dining facilities, which include the RDH and those in the Cone University Center and Prospector Buildings and the coffee shops in Atkins Library and the Fretwell Building. A café planned for PORTAL will be part of his responsibilities once it is completed.
“We handle everything from the floors to ceilings. During the summer, we focus on issues in the seating areas, which is harder to schedule when students are here. Kitchen maintenance can be done pretty much any time during the day,” stated Renwick.
Throughout his career, Renwick has held a number of carpentry/maintenance roles. “I was hammering two-by-fours together at age 7.”
And he enjoys being on campus, which used to be a long drive when he was growing up. Now it’s a 20-minute trip from his home near Uptown.
“I feel I’m an important part of the University, and I’m an important part of facilities management,” said Renwick. “Our customers don’t hesitate to call us, and we get right on the job to fix it and make them happy.”
Away from campus, Renwick can be found engaged in musical pursuits or brewing his own beer. “My biggest love is music, especially the mountain dulcimer. It’s a beautiful instrument. Its name in Latin means sweet sound. I also play standup bass in an old-time string band Too Wet to Plow. We perform at venues throughout Charlotte.”