Technician of the Year Finalist Spotlight—Vince Keahey

Facilities management professionals are often the unsung heroes of their organizations.

To honor their contributions to keeping operations running smoothly, FMX is recognizing those who’ve gone above and beyond during the past year.

Each of these finalists was nominated by a peer for their outstanding work in the field. In the leadup to the unveiling of the winner at our 2025 National Conference, we’re highlighting two finalists per week.

This week, we’re spotlighting Vince Keahey an HVAC Technician at Alhambra Elementary School District.

Watch finalist spotlight

Q&A with TOY Finalist Vince Keahey

How long have you held your current position?

Almost 20 years

How did you get to where you are today?

I am committed to learning, embracing uncertainty, and not afraid of trying new things that I encounter with daily challenges.

What does a typical day look like in your role?

My day starts out organized after checking Veregy EMS system on all 17 school sites. As most technicians know there are interruptions and unplanned urgencies that arise quite often but getting them resolved and or repaired in a timely manner is satisfying.

Are there any mentors or key figures who have influenced your career?

I would have to say my grandfather who held four jobs; owning a barber shop, selling insurance, bartending, and working for a school district he became the president of.

Also, a technician that worked a couple hours at Alhambra through Johnson Controls when I first started here. He showed me a great amount of valuable information. I would always get as much knowledge as possible from him. These gentlemen ingrained the importance of hard work and commitment in me.

Can you share a specific project or accomplishment you’re particularly proud of?

I would have to say that I am gratefully proud of being my mother’s caregiver who has Parkinson’s/dementia. Helping her before and after, I take care of our students, teachers, and staff each day. Once I am caught up, I take care of any emergencies that involve family or friends’ maintenance problems.

What challenges do you face in your work, and how do you overcome them?

A challenge for all school districts is the limited funds for repairing failing units. The cost of parts has drastically increased.

I am grateful our district has the funds to keep over 1450 units functioning properly each year. Once our parts are ordered,, it sometimes takes three to four weeks before they arrive due to high demand.

While I am waiting, I will borrow from a room that’s not being used or a hallway unit to get the classroom cooling or heating as soon as possible until the part arrives.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to those starting in the field?

Embrace learning while having patience.

Stay up to date with nomination timelines

This year’s nomination deadline has passed, but you can be notified about future facilities management awards from FMX. Just sign up below: