Chad MacWilliams’ official title is custodian, yet everyone on the staff knows that role only scratches the surface of all that he has done and contributed during his twenty-five years at the Arboretum.

Many visitors have never met the person who has been primarily responsible, day in and day out, for keeping the Visitor Center – and so much more – clean, orderly, and operating smoothly. Yet Arboretum staff know he plays an indispensable part in sustaining their everyday work environment as well as the broader operations that facilitate high visitation, public outreach programs, private events, and core activities including land restoration. So it is with deep gratitude for his work and hearty congratulations that we announce Chad is retiring.

Chad begins his workdays with daily custodial tasks, like cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, and taking out trash and recycling. He is always in before 6 a.m. to put the Visitor Center in tip-top shape before the doors open to the public. This alone is no small task – there are eight restrooms (only two are in public areas) and more than twenty office and cubicle spaces in the Visitor Center, as well as additional workspaces and restrooms in outbuildings.

The rest of the day varies depending on the day’s programming and events, building repairs or issues to be addressed, and even the weather and season. He may be setting up and breaking down rooms for education programs and private events; doing fixit and handyman tasks; troubleshooting the issues and quirks of a building that dates to 2001 (for one half) and 1977 (for the other); problem solving staff equipment, furniture, and other office needs; or shoveling snow, mowing, or working the fireline with the burn crew – and so much more.

In the busy spring and fall seasons, thousands of people visit the Arboretum in a week, and hundreds of people come into the Visitor Center on weekend days. In summer, dozens of children a week attend day camps. In addition to the curiosity and passion attendees and visitors bring, heavy traffic also leads to building wear and tear, inevitable messes, more trash, and occasional unpleasantries.

Native plant garden curator Susan Carpenter, who has worked with Chad since 2003, says he is “a dedicated professional who has served the Arboretum since 1999, through a time of substantial growth in not only the size of our Visitor Center, but also in public visitation. His custodial work stands out because of his exceptionally high standards for building care, superb attention to detail and efficiencies, and unflagging commitment to service and teamwork. He is able, by himself, to do the work of a small staff, day in and day out.”

And for seventeen of his twenty-five years at the Arboretum, Chad was the solo custodian. (In fall 2016, the Arboretum hired Amy Novak as a weekend custodian, providing much needed help, energy, and humor.) He has been endlessly helpful to Arboretum staff, offering creative and reliable solutions to whatever may come up in a day. He has the spirit and skill of a tinkerer, an engineer, and a craftsman.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff who could not do their jobs remotely were allowed to return to work at the Arboretum. While the Visitor Center remained closed to the public, outdoor visitation was high because the grounds provided a relatively safe place (with precautions) to spend time with others. Chad helped outdoor staff as needed, and as one of the only people working inside, he was able to tackle a long list of projects – from deep cleaning offices and public spaces to clearing years (even decades) of stuff from rooms and outbuildings that had essentially become storage closets. When the full staff returned in fall 2021, the buildings were in better shape than ever and there were even a few new spaces available for use.

As the pandemic ended, “Chad applied his skills in new ways,” says Michael Hansen, land care manager. “He was the key staff in preparing and maintaining offices for indoor staff to return and for preparing public spaces as the Visitor Center reopened fully in September 2021. Chad’s leadership and teaching have also been essential through staff turnover and changes in supervisors. By sharing his extensive knowledge of facilities, processes, and operations, Chad ensured smooth transitions for new staff.”

Michael continues, “I have always enjoyed, and benefitted from, an especially collaborative relationship with Chad. When he needs help with a big project in the Visitor Center, the land care crew and I help out, and in return he helps us with prescribed fire and snow clearing, among other things. He has been a steady and reliable teammate throughout.”

In 2022, Chad received a University Staff Recognition Award. In the nomination materials, his coworkers cited his attention to detail, high standards, teamwork, accomplishments, and creativity.

Chad is humble (except when it comes to the Packers) – a man of action and few words. But he shared these sentiments: “In addition to my main duties taking care of the Visitor Center, I was able to help on many different types of projects over the years, too, which I really enjoyed. I also enjoyed the people I was able to work with on all those projects. Being on the burn crew, repairing boardwalks, installing signs, coordinating work with campus Trades staff. The list is too long to mention it all. And there was a lot of good teamwork involved, which I’ll miss being a part of.”

His dedication, kindness, and love for the Arboretum have shown through, year after year. Thank you, Chad!

– Susan Day, communications manager