Edwin Jeffres has been named director of Operations in the Facilities Department at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Jeffres leads all full-time, part-time and temporary university employees working within the department. He also oversees the day-to-day planning, organizing, and direction of various crafts areas within the facilities administration office.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the university in this role,” he said. “It plays a key part in assisting the campus ongoing efforts to build state-of-the-art infrastructure that will provide optimum operations for students, faculty, staff, and the general public. I look forward to forging stronger relationships with my colleagues and other stakeholders that will lead to greater collaboration as we continue maximizing resources to perfect the UTHSC campus vision.”
Jeffres’ additional responsibilities include establishing policies and procedures, schedules, and department needs, providing day-to-day staff directives; managing departmental concerns and disciplinary actions; determining cost benefits and managing annual budgets; directing the maintenance, repair, and alteration of buildings and grounds; and ensuring optimal utilization of personnel and other resources. He reports to Kimberly Moore, MBA, assistant vice chancellor for Facilities at UTHSC.
“With 25 years of experience, Edwin’s determination and innovative thinking have allowed him to easily transition into his new leadership role,” Moore said. “As the director of operations, he has exhibited the ability to strategically plan and influence the commitment that drives the workforce of the facilities administration.”
Jeffres, a Franklin, Virginia native, has been with UTHSC since 2015, initially coming on board as the superintendent for Custodial Services. He was promoted to interim director of the unit in 2019. Prior to that, Jeffres was the owner and CEO of Jeffres Building Systems for 18 years. The company specialized in commercial construction of structural steel and pre-fab building systems, serving government, corporate and private clients.
Jeffres earned his associate’s degree in business management from Southwest Tennessee Community College and is attending the University of Memphis for his bachelor’s degree in business administration, concentrating in construction management. In 2019, Jeffres graduated from the Institute for Facilities Management. He is also a member of the APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities and the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.