Caymanian takes over GAB in new top job

Troy Whorms, GAB Facilities Manager

(CNS): Troy Whorms has been appointed as the government’s facilities manager which will see him take charge of the civil service HQ on Elgin Avenue in what is a relatively new post. Whorms has been acting as the facilities manager until his formal appointment and officials said the young Caymanian had proved himself worthy, working hard to maximize the occupancy of the building recently.

Whorms said that his department is now working on centralizing government’s facilities management services and resources, which will enable the sharing of knowledge and experience, while focusing on the retention of key technical staff.

With an annual budget of some $5 million, the facilities management team oversees other facilities across the Cayman Islands, such as Cayman Islands Environmental Centre and the various district civic and community centres. It also coordinates related maintenance, renovation projects, managing procurement, tenders, bids, as well as serving on the GOAB Building Management Committee and CIG Continuity of Operations Sub-Committee.

The core group of a dozen workers maintain all operations of the government building, which houses over 800 workers, as well as customer service and the government telephone system, which supports over 1,800 users. It covers about 240,000 square feet, and is the first structure in the Cayman Islands to become a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver-Certified facility. The facilities team manages everything from the quality of the air and water to an in-house geo-thermal energy plant and ‘chiller’, which supplants water from up to 200-feet below the surface, into the building’s energy-transfer apparatus.

The title of Facilities Manager is fairly new to the local civil service but it is a well-established discipline globally. Speaking about Whorms’ appointment, the planning ministry’s chief officer, Alan Jones, said, “His promotion in this very demanding position is well-deserved, and comes after a decade of outstanding work in the civil service.”

Whorms started his career with the Public Works Department, where he gained experience managing the administrative as well as technical aspects of projects, including dealing with contractors, budgets and staff. A graduate of the University College of the Cayman Islands and the New England Institute of Technology, he has a degree in Construction Management. Following this, he completed the International Facilities Management Association’s Facilities Management Professional credential programme. Whorms is also a founding member of the Cayman Islands Facilities Manager Association (CIFMA).

Expressing his commitment to developing the field of facilities management, he said, “While it’s an honour to be recognised for doing a good job, building a successful team is even more critical to maintaining our success.”