Hayes to lead, assess facilities management at W&M
Samuel Hayes III, a professional engineer and management consultant, has been selected to lead William & Mary’s facilities management department as interim chief facilities officer beginning July 1.
Van Dobson, who has served as W&M’s associate vice president of facilities management since 2014, will be retiring at the end of June.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Dobson came to W&M after leading facilities management efforts at Lehigh University and UNC Chapel Hill. Under his leadership, W&M has undertaken several significant construction and renovation projects, including the completion of the McLeod Tyler Wellness Center and expansion of the Alumni House.
Throughout his career, Hayes has combined his expertise in facilities and procurement with a focus on performance-based management. He is principal and founder of Stratageum, a management consultancy in Richmond, Virginia, that focuses on connecting small, women and minority (SWaM) owned businesses with multiple industries. Prior to launching his consulting firm, Hayes has worked as an executive leader in higher education, state government and private organizations on areas ranging from facilities management and operational efficiency to new initiatives and business process transformation.
In his new role at W&M, Hayes will be leading an assessment of the university’s facilities management department and its constituents’ needs. The assessment will reflect input from the department’s staff and others across campus as well as peer and industry benchmarks
“I’m thrilled that Sam has agreed to step into this role,” said Amy Sebring, vice president for finance and technology. “Our facilities, grounds and the team that supports them are vital to making William & Mary a place where students want to live and learn and faculty and staff want to work and engage. Sam has the experience and background both to support the daily operations and to help us envision how we support this critical function going forward.”
From 2016 to 2018, Hayes served as a project management consultant for VCU, leading a facilities management peer review process that was conducted by APPA, an association that focuses on leadership in educational facilities.
As assistant vice president for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, he led corporate tenant relations, real estate lease development and review with its legal and finance departments. In that position, he assessed facility management services, supplier diversity efforts, physical plant operations and maintenance among aspects of the bank’s operations.
From 2008 to 2010, he served as special assistant to the governor for SWaM business development and the Commonwealth of Virginia’s chief supplier diversity officer. Before that, he was director of operations for the Roanoke Higher Education Authority, a manager for the City of Roanoke’s Utility Line Services Department/Division, an operations engineer manager for the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority and interim assistant resident engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Hayes earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Old Dominion University, his master’s degree in public administration and public policy from Virginia Tech, and is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is the parent of a Class of 2011 graduate of W&M.
“As interim chief facilities officer, I look forward to building on the foundation of those who went before me while facilitating an environment conducive to the needs of the students, professors and staff of William & Mary,” said Hayes.
