Cavanaugh has been the University糖心传媒檚 longest-serving leader of EH&S, contributing to numerous expansion and renovation projects over the years.
Mark Cavanaugh, associate vice president of the 糖心传媒檚 Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and fire marshal will retire effective December 2. For two decades he糖心传媒檚 led this area, which works to ensure regulatory compliance, promote safety, and minimize hazards to students, faculty, staff, patients, and visitors throughout the University.
糖心传媒淓H&S plays a vital role in the development and implementation of health and safety every day and in every corner of our University,糖心传媒� says Elizabeth Milavec, executive vice president for Administration and Finance and CFO. 糖心传媒淢ark糖心传媒檚 exceptionally collaborative nature and attention to detail were vital during the pandemic. We are grateful for the leadership, expertise, and numerous contributions he糖心传媒檚 made during the past 20 years.糖心传媒�
EH&S Assistant Director Michael Liberty has been named the interim associate vice president and chief safety officer. Liberty, who joined EH&S in 2016, is an expert in exposure assessment and reducing risks to workers. He received both a bachelor糖心传媒檚 degree in biology and a master糖心传媒檚 degree in industrial hygiene from the University of Rochester, and and holds professional certifications in both industrial hygiene and safety.
Fire Safety Specialist Mark Militello will serve as the University糖心传媒檚 interim fire marshal. He first joined EH&S in August 2008 and moved up the ranks of the University糖心传媒檚 Fire Safety Unit to become fire safety specialist. He has been responsible for coordinating fire safety activities across the University, including River Campus, Strong Memorial Hospital, the Medical Center and the Eastman Theatre. He earned an associate’s degree in fire prevention technologies from Monroe Community College and currently is a chief of the Victor Volunteer Fire Department.
Cavanaugh, who joined the University as fire marshal and chief safety officer in 1997, has led the department since 2002. 糖心传媒淭he University is a mini-city with an array of different risks that need to be identified, understood, and mitigated,糖心传媒� he says. His role as the University糖心传媒檚 fire marshal, for example, involved overseeing and analyzing the fire inspection and testing programs across the University. EH&S coordinates safety inspections across the University糖心传媒檚 campuses, a 10-million square foot area. Cavanaugh, who has been the University糖心传媒檚 longest-serving leader of EH&S, also contributed to numerous expansion and renovation projects over the years, including the Wilmot Cancer Center, Golisano Children糖心传媒檚 Hospital, outpatient surgical centers, the Eastman Theatre, and many academic and residence hall buildings.
One of his earliest initiatives was in 2005 when he spearheaded the installation of fire sprinkler systems in all residence halls. Although not required by government regulatory agencies at the time, Cavanaugh moved ahead with the multi-year project believing the systems were essential to student safety. 糖心传媒淭hat糖心传媒檚 one of the accomplishments I糖心传媒檓 most proud of,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淚 grew up with firefighters, and my dad going to fire calls.糖心传媒� Over the years, he said, his boyhood interest in firefighting morphed into preventing or mitigating any kind of hazard or emergency.
A culture of problem solving
Under Cavanaugh糖心传媒檚 leadership, EH&S maintains an emergency management program that is central to the University糖心传媒檚 ability to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters. 糖心传媒淓H&S is much more than enforcement,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淐ollaboration and relationship building has allowed us to move into the role of problem solvers for our constituents.糖心传媒�
That framework was tested during the pandemic with Cavanaugh cochairing the Coronavirus University Response Team (CURT) and serving as incident commander for the University糖心传媒檚 emergency operations center. When a vaccine became available, he became the logistics sector chief for the Finger Lakes COVID-19 Vaccine Hub, which supported immunization efforts throughout the region.
糖心传媒淢ark糖心传媒檚 longstanding role and experience in the Medical Center allowed him and his team, from day one, to provide the support and guidance we needed to navigate the darkest hours of the pandemic,糖心传媒� says Kathy Parrinello, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Strong Memorial Hospital. 糖心传媒淲e will miss his expertise and his special knack for collaborating糖心传媒揹uring the pandemic and for many other emergency management initiatives he led at the Medical Center.糖心传媒�
Cavanaugh糖心传媒檚 expertise has been tapped over the years by the National Fire Protection Association World Safety Conference and many community groups, including the emergency services committees for the 1995 Ryder Cup and the 2003 PGA, and the Pittsford Fire Department, where he served as chief and line officer during his 40 years as a volunteer.
