Meet Marshall MacFarlane

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marshall MacFarlane.

Hi Marshall, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Wow – my career has taken a very circuitous route, and very little has gone as planned. Many years ago when I graduated from High School, I wanted to be in Wildlife Management – tagging bears and counting fish and stuff like that. University wasn’t what I thought and I went into manufacturing. Soon I answered an ad for a Millwright/Industrial Mechanic and that position offered an apprenticeship. From there I went into a food plant, and began to specialize in written maintenance plans, Preventive and Predictive maintenance (PM and PdM), and quality management systems like ISO9000. I moved to Arizona and continued down that path, adding experience and responsibilities in the areas of plant safety, security, and environmental. At the time I didn’t know this was its own career field – Facilities Management. I took a five-year tangent into electrical engineering which I enjoyed but was drawn back into Facilities Management (FM). I spent the next 10 years overseeing Facilities Management, Campus Security and Emergency Planning at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus. The job was a challenge, but I gained a ton if great experience there – particularly in the areas mentioned, along with large construction projects. Eventually I moved on to be the Parks and Facilities Manager for the Town of Gilbert, where I spent four years. Fatigued with the public sector, and presented with an awesome opportunity to work with a friend I am now back in electrical engineering – at C3 Engineering. Our firm provides services related to electrical safety and conformity. So far, so good – although a do miss (sometimes) being a Facilities Manager. On top of all that, I’m proud to be a veteran also, having served in Canada’s version of the National Guard for over 13 years.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! Is anything ever smooth? How does that saying go? “Man makes plans and God laughs”. As mentioned – I started out in Wildlife Management, acquired a trade I didn’t even know existed at the time, built that into a profession (Facilities Management) that I had never heard of, spent time in both the public and private sectors, and am now in my second go-round in the electrical engineering industry. Talk about a winding path! Also – I’ve always been an introvert, and kind of passive. Most of my roles have required leadership abilities and for introverts – that can sometimes be a challenge. Finally – Karole, my wife of over 25 years now – has Spinal Muscular Atrophy which is a progressive, usually terminal neuromuscular disease. She uses an electric wheelchair and over the years has beaten the odds, but at a price. Once fairly independent, she requires near 24-hour care and assistance with virtually every task. With any health issue in any family, there are challenges but over the years we have dealt with an amputation, raising a baby, lots of procedures, caregivers, lack of caregivers and all of the other trials and tribulations that go along with significant health issues. I won’t lie. Juggling work responsibilities with my wife’s care has increasingly been a challenge, but we keep finding ways.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In spite of competing work and family responsibilities, I love to volunteer. Since High School, I have been a freelance writer and editor, mostly in the hunting and fishing world. Any conservation organization that has needed writing or editing services – I’ve enjoyed helping them, at no cost of course. For a dozen years, I have been involved in IFMA (International Facilities Management Organization) and that group has been amazing for both my career and myself personally. Almost from the beginning I served on Committees, then on the Board as a Vice-President and finally, I am just now finishing my two-year term as President of the Phoenix Chapter. The Phoenix Chapter is one of the largest and most active in the world, and I’ve been very proud to be a part of it. I’ve supported the Arizona Mule Deer Organization since its inception serving on the board and also as a volunteer. AMDO is a group of outdoorsmen and women that raise money to improve and preserve mule deer habitat in Arizona. Although their focus is deer, the work benefits a ton of wildlife. When you build or repair a water source in the desert, not only do the deer benefit but the snakes, the rabbits, the bugs, the birds, the javelina… all the creatures in the area benefit from a water tank in Arizona. Last but not least, I volunteer at my church. I’m a Team Lead on the Campus Safety Team and I enjoy it immensely.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
My important lesson honestly has been the value of networking. Networking has helped me personally and professionally. It has helped me be better at my job roles, helped me in my family life, and has helped me as a volunteer with various organizations. Networking is probably a no-brainer for some people but as an introvert it was hard to learn, and harder to put in practice. In the “old days” my roles allowed me to be “surly and unapproachable”, which was ok I suppose, but it didn’t benefit my organization or maximize my effectiveness. I’m still an introvert, but I’ve done pretty well at networking.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://c-3engineering.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-macfarlane-0a426518/
• Other: https://desertratoutdoors.com/