Gary Chadwick, director, Student Recreation Center. (Photo/Casey A. Cass)

The architectural beauty of the Boulder campus is world renowned and our buildings often are viewed as the face of the university. In this series, "In the Spotlight," we ask CU-Boulder building directors to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the facilities and programs they manage - along with a glimpse into their personalities. Part six of this series features Gary Chadwick, director of the Student Recreation Center.

What is one thing you would like people to know about your building or your job?

As director of the Recreation Services department, it's certainly my feeling that it is by far the best job on campus. The rewards and gratification are instantaneous, as I have the opportunity to see students, faculty and staff enjoying themselves in a recreational setting. In addition, it's my pleasure to have direct contact with CU students on a daily basis.

The recreation center itself is a multi-faceted 250,000 square foot facility that offers a vast variety of activity space such as swimming pools, an ice arena, several gyms, cardio and resistance training equipment, an indoor climbing wall and an indoor running track. The recreation center is also the home of an outdoor adventure program, non-credit instructional classes, intramurals and a highly competitive collegiate club sports program that currently has 36 active clubs. After over 27 years with Recreation Services, I still enjoy coming to work every day and being involved with the CU-Boulder community.

If you had to name a person who was the most important role model in your life, who would it be?

The person who I most admired and has played a significant role in my adult life would be my father-in-law. Not only was he my father-in-law, but I considered him a close friend. He was a man with a very strong work ethic and was the most honest and genuine person I have ever known. Although he is gone, I continue to strive to live my life in a manner that reflects his values.