Des Plaines Park District gives out excellence award

Ken Rochau, Building Services supervisor at the Des Plaines Park District, was recognized with a Dedicated to Excellence Award at the Des Plaines park board meeting on Tuesday, May 18.

Rochau has been with the park district since June of 2011, starting in the Parks Department as the Building Services supervisor and moving to the Golf Operations Department, where he oversees a staff of five.

At Golf Center Des Plaines, Rochau and his crew are responsible for maintenance and repairs, including the HVAC and mechanical work. They handle all of the custodial operations and help with mechanical work at almost every park district facility.

He connects with customers on a regular basis as the on-call person for facility rentals, and handles room setups for both rentals and district events, including the massive Dance Idol at Prairie Lakes Community Center.

"Ken's problem-solving skills are second to none," said Brian Panek, Des Plaines Park District superintendent of Revenue Facilities, during the award ceremony.

"He tackles the most difficult projects and breaks them down into manageable sections so the work gets done right, on time, and always in a fiscally responsible way."

The health and safety of customers and staff during the pandemic was a priority for the district, and a monumental task for Rochau and his crew. During the worst shortages, Rochau was able to secure cleaning and disinfecting products, and purchased two Clorox Electrostatic Sprayers, which proved invaluable to keeping facilities open, including the new Prairie Lakes Aquatic Center.

"It's really due to Ken's ingenuity and persistence that everyone in our buildings was able to feel safe and enjoy themselves," said Panek. "He's the unsung hero of the past year!"

Rochau is responsible for many of the improvements at the Golf Center over the past few years, including the driving range ball delivery system, reduced downtime in the hitting stations, and the targets on the range.

"Part of why practicing here is such a great experience for golfers is due to Ken's dedication to keeping the facility running smoothly. All of us at the park district are grateful to have Ken on our team. We truly could not do what we do without him," said Panek.

The Dedicated to Excellence Award is presented three times a year to employees who have made a positive contribution to the park district.

Potential recipients are nominated by park district staff members and evaluated by the employee relations committee and administrators for creativity, responsibility, community relations and customer service.

For information about programs and events at the Des Plaines Park District, visit DPParks.org.

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