Leo Gehring
Kicking Back in Retirement with Cars and Cruises

Leo Gehring's facility management career started with an unexpected path when he joined the Army as a medic in 1966 to avoid being drafted into the infantry.

After several training programs, Leo became an instructor and eventually applied for and became a warrant officer, transitioning into facility management within the Army's medical field. Following his military service, he worked in various roles, including director and executive positions at hospitals, where he oversaw plant maintenance, construction, clinical engineering, radiology, telecommunications, and more. He made his presence known as a leader, educator, and mentor.

“Throughout my life and my career, I always kept the same hard hat,” said Leo. “It always had my stuff on it, so if I got crushed or something, they’d always know who it was.”

Leo served as president of ASHE in 2007 and later in his career, he taught over 200 courses for ASHE while balancing retirement.

Now “fully” retired from facilities management, Leo has bounced back and forth several times as consultant. He values saying "no" to high-effort activities and only takes on projects that interest him.

His experience underscores his adaptability and deep expertise in healthcare facilities management.

A problem solver at heart, Leo saw a lot of facility problems, for which he was able to share his expertise. “I went to a hospital in New York City, and their only generator was located outside the building on the off ramp of a major highway.”

Looking forward, Leo believes in shifting from outdated systems, like binders, to efficient, updated electronic databases. He advocates for strategic and infrastructure planning that aligns facilities with the organization’s broader goals, particularly in healthcare, where patient safety is paramount.

He also has strong beliefs about people, recruitment, and retention.

“There's a dig in element that's really important to feel when you’re looking for new talent,” he said. “The ones that want to dig in are those who came up through the trades. You look for the light behind their eyes. They are eager to be trained and succeed. I also always looked for someone you can take and mold with the potential for being an effective leader.”

Leo’s consulting experience has revealed the importance of facility managers understanding the organization's strategic direction. In his words, the first step in solving any facilities development issue is to ask, "Where is the facility master plan?" He emphasized that facility managers must be active participants in the planning process, ensuring their facilities meet both current and future organizational needs. He stressed that infrastructure analysis is key to identifying weaknesses and developing solutions.

“You have to consider yourself a valued member of the strategic and master planning process for the organization,” said Leo. “You have to understand what the needs are, going forward. You cannot be just a reaction point.”

Beyond his professional life, Leo is passionate about restoring classic cars including a '68 Corvette and a '72 El Camino Super Sport and has built a personal workshop where he works on these projects at his own pace. Although he has faced challenges, such as losing sight in one eye during a car restoration, Leo spends blissful hours turning wrenches and revving engines. He also lets loose on the drums and gets away from it all on cruise vacations with his wife. Life is simple on cruises. There’s time for people-watching and fantastic food. But Leo is perfectly content with a good burger.

Leo shared his philosophy for young facility managers:

• Never say no to new opportunities if you want a long career. Keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
• There’s great value to earning the CHFM credential, which is why I taught the prep course for so many years.
• Your career should be about building your skills, your maturity, and your leadership skills, to get to the point where you can take care of the mission. Remember it is all about the teams and the mission’s success!
• Get involved in trade associations and listen carefully to what others are saying. That’s the process of learning by osmosis. Dive in deep!

 

Explore the experiences of retired facilities professionals in the latest series from ARC Facilities -- Legacy Insights: Wisdom from Retired Facilities Professionals and follow us on LinkedIn.