This content was published: March 4, 2016. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Classified Employee Appreciation Week Profile: Mark Roberts
Photos and story by Janis Nichols
When Mark Roberts started delivering the mail for PCC in 1991, his band, The Edge of Pleasure, performed in small Portland clubs and a first-class postage stamp cost 29 cents. Both markers are now hard to imagine, but Roberts is not the type of guy who lives in the past.
“I’m lucky in that I really enjoy my work here at PCC,” he said. “I know exactly what needs to be done to keep the deliveries moving smoothly. Each day is slightly different and my job is to figure out how to get the work done as efficiently as possible.”
Roberts figures he logs an average of 500 packages per year, mostly books. If you figure ten pounds per delivery, that’s approximately 125,000 pounds over 25 years.
Roberts takes pride in his work and says PCC is a great place to work.
“Central Distribution Services (CDS) delivers approximately 100 to 200 boxes a day. Department orders are typically paper and classroom supplies, but we handle high value materials as well,” he said. “Those include computers, printers, lab supplies, etc. Faculty and staff depend on CDS. That’s how we support students.”
While timely mail delivery is expected by the more than 3,200 full time and part time faculty and staff at PCC, few employees are aware of the role the CDS plays in community engagement. Two great examples are the PCC Book Mark Project and ongoing equipment donations to schools in the region.
When PCC celebrated its 50 Anniversary during the 2011-12 academic year, each campus was asked to create its own unique project that would contribute to the College’s overall goal of donating 50,000 hours of community service to nonprofit organizations throughout the PCC service district. Rock Creek created the Book Mark project which delivered more than 24,000 pounds of donated books to prison libraries. The project worked because of the commitment made by CDS.
Roberts said, “We collected donated books at the Rock Creek Campus mail site, wrapped them in plastic on wooden pallets and delivered them along with the regular mail to the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonvillle. We had floor to ceiling stacks of books. The project was expected to last a year, but we reached capacity in 10 months. We made all the delivers to Wilsonville and Coffee Creek and they pushed the books out to other prisons. The prisons told us to stop delivering books because their libraries were full.” Thanks to Roberts and his coworkers at CDS, Rock Creek filled the libraries at Coffee Creek, Powder River, Snake River, Deer Ridge and the Oregon State Prison.
And then there are surplus equipment donations to schools in Columbia County.
“The CDS collects a lot of surplus from throughout the District,” Roberts Said. “We can’t warehouse it all, so we find schools in need of good used equipment. We’ve delivered truckloads of used computers, monitors, printers and other electronic equipment. We’ve even delivered dental mannequins and firetrucks.”
Roberts takes pride in his work and says PCC is a great place to work. “People make the job. CDS is like a family. It works for me.”
I’m so happy to see Mark receive this recognition. He is unfailingly cheerful and friendly, bringing a sense of joy to what could be considered a routine task. He brightens my day when he brings the mail.
Thanks for the many years of helping the community, Mark.
Always a smile when delivering our mail! I look forward to your visit and I am so glad to see you get this much deserved recognition.
I always run into Mark in the halls of Bldg 7 on my way to class; congrats, Mark!
Congratulations and thank you! I look forward to your visits to the lab each week.
Congratulations Mark. Well deserved Those of us stuff at a desk envy your freedom of movement and cheerful demeanor
Mark always has a smile on his face and makes me laugh every single time I see him. We talk music (guitars), and other fun stuff. He is a kind person and never has a negative word to say. More folks need to be like Mark!
Mark has been so kind, funny, and warm during the time I’ve worked at PCC. His kindness is contagious. Congrats, Mark!
Mark was one of the first people I met on my first day working at PCC. His smile, his kindness and gentle spirit made me feel right at home. 15 years later he is still the same Mark, and we are very blessed to have had his energy infusing the PCC environment as long as he has been here. Congrats Mark…this is a well-deserved honor.
You deserve the recognition.
Mark has always been so helpful, whether delivering much awaited orders or removing several used toner cartridges. He has always been extremely helpful and always smiling, I appreciate that. Miss you over here in SYCT.
Congratulations to Mark!
I am glad you are being recognized for your cheerful and efficient service, Mark. When you worked at Sylvania it always brightened our day when you showed up with the deliveries.
We miss you over here in engineering! All the best as you go forward making PCC a great place for staff and students. Thank you!
I have known Mark since he was seven years old, and he has been my best friend since that time. He truly is a kind and wonderful person and I am glad to see him get some recognition, as he really deserves it. Congratulations, Mark and thankyou PCC for recognizing his contribution. He truly is one of the best people you could ever hope to meet and a true class act!
Mark is always a pleasure to see and chat with! So glad he is being recognized for his service to the college!!!
Thank you for spotlighting an exceptional employee. CDS is blessed with a great staff and they truly do deliver “Service with a Smile”! Great job Mark!!!