Playmaker Profile: Blackshaw draws praise
for leadership amid significant Capitol
renovations
For a building full of political activity and history, ithas taken the work of a nonpolitical mind with a highly collaborative approachto preserve and enhance the Capitol for future generations of officials andvisitors.
Hard work and a proactive team-centered approach havedefined the career of Rob Blackshaw, executive director of the Michigan StateCapitol Commission and head of Capitol Facilities, those who have worked withhim over the years say.
His career trajectory has contained three acts: an initialperiod of working in and around the Capitol moving up the ladder in variousroles, a period of years in which he stepped away to join the private sectorand his return over a decade ago which he hopes will last through untilretirement.
For Blackshaw, his first stretch at the now 147-year-oldCapitol began in October 1990, during the 1989-92 restoration project when thebuilding was essentially gutted, years of neglect cleared away and replaced tobring the building back to its original look with modern function.
Growing up in Lansing, Blackshaw told Gongwer News Servicethat he saw an opening for a position on the Capitol Facilities staff, and hedecided to apply. He said his major in college at Central Michigan Universitywas in communications and business, but he had always been interested inarchitecture and had taken some engineering and architecture courses incollege.
Blackshaw said for his first year he worked second shiftbefore moving to the day shift for the next seven-and-a-half years.
In the late 1990s, he was approached to be the projectmanager for the House Office Building that was to be constructed across thestreet from the Capitol. Following its construction and opening in 1999, hestayed on to set up and manage operations.
In 2005, he left to join the Taubman Company, a propertymanagement firm that develops shopping centers. He was project manager for anexpansion at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, he said, and stayed on as operationsdirector.
His return to the Capitol came in 2015 following a randomstop-in to visit staff in the building.
Blackshaw said he crossed paths with then-House Clerk GaryRandall, a former state representative and the chair of the Capitol Commissionat the time with a passion for the building. Randall, Blackshaw said, invitedhim to his office and asked him if he would consider coming back because ofplans for upgrades to the Capitol.
"I considered it, and it didn't take me long toconsider it," Blackshaw said. "Once I started working in the Capitol,it got into my blood, and I have such a passion for it. It took me probablyless than 20 hours to finally call back, said 'yes, I'll come back.'"
Randall served as chair of the Capitol Commission from2014-23. He said he knew Blackshaw not only from his time as chair but as amember of the House, where Randall served from 1979-96.
"I've always had great admiration and respect for hiswork ethic and skills," Randall said.
Randall said Blackshaw has a talent for assuring solid plansfor projects on the grounds while also being able to get buy-in from thecommission and from lawmakers.
Valerie Marvin, director of education and history at theCapitol, also serves as Capitol Commission secretary. She has worked withBlackshaw since his return to work at the building.
Marvin said she appreciates Blackshaw's willingness to letstaff develop their skills and expertise as well as accept their input.
"He gives them room to do their job and excel,"Marvin said. "One thing I really appreciate with Rob is he does notmicromanage. … I have been really pleased with how Rob has allowed staff togrow and expand their skills."
Blackshaw praised the Capitol staff, whom he said havedeveloped into experts in their fields. Blackshaw said he has been acollaborative manager, allowing those with expertise to approach him aboutissues in the Capitol.
"That has really developed the Capitol Commission staffto be what I think is the strongest I've ever seen since 1990 and that's great,because that's one of the goals I wanted to do, is build a strong team, strongenough that when I leave they remember what's going on, and everyone cancontinue to be a great steward of this building," Blackshaw said.
Upon Blackshaw's return in December 2015, work on planningthe infrastructure project at the Capitol began in which the mechanical andelectrical systems were replaced and the geothermal field on the grounds.
Those systems were not replaced during the 1989-92restoration project, he said, and with another 30 years' time, the need forupgrades was even more critical by the 2010s.
While the project was underway, the proposal for theHeritage Hall visitors center came up, which required adjustments to be made tothe geothermal field before proceeding. Those adjustments were made andeventually the Heritage Hall project was constructed.
Chad Clark, vice president of The Christman Company, said hehas worked with Blackshaw on several projects at the Capitol in recent years,including the mechanical systems and Heritage Hall projects.
"Rob and his team take a really proactiveapproach," Clark said.
Clark said he also appreciates Blackshaw's collaborativespirit and willingness to hear diverse points of view. Further, he saidBlackshaw "walks the talk" by having integrity and following throughon what he says he is going to do.
By developing a team of experts on staff and possessing ahigh level of attention to detail and documentation of projects, Clark saidBlackshaw has put his successors in a good position to manage the building oncehe moves on.
Marvin also was impressed with Blackshaw's leadership duringthe Heritage Hall project, saying he coordinated with numerous stakeholders todevelop a Capitol addition that honors the original building and complementsit.
"He had a really good skillset to move that projectforward," Marvin said.
She said for her, it was a great opportunity to be able touse her expertise and work on developing the exhibits housed within HeritageHall.
Blackshaw has always been open to new ideas and improvingservices and educational opportunities at the Capitol, she added. During thecoronavirus pandemic, she said Blackshaw listened to staff's suggestions todevelop virtual Capitol tours and use platforms including YouTube to offer moreengagement with the public.
Some bosses do not like to branch out and try new things, Marvin said.
"Rob is not that person. Rob is always excited at theidea of something new," Marvin said.
Blackshaw returned to the Capitol around the time thecommission was established, Marvin said, and has done much to build thecommission and Capitol staff into a robust operation to preserve and evenproactively address repairs within the building and grounds.
"It's amazing to see what we've been able to accomplishwith him in charge," Marvin said.
Randall was also proud of Blackshaw's work on the HeritageHall project, from getting the funding from the Legislature to having itcompleted.
"Rob has a resilience that's important in that kind ofjob," Randall said.
Keeping a historic building in good shape is no small task,Randall said, and Blackshaw has surrounded himself with experts to help makethe work a success.
"It was always a pleasure to work with Rob, even on thethings we didn't necessarily agree on," Randall said. "He was anabsolute delight to work with."
Blackshaw said he is non-political in his role, but heunderstands that there is some politics involving the commission's work attimes.
The most prevalent area in which politics enters intoCapitol Commission operations, he said, is over security matters.
"No one has opposed what we're doing with security andramping up the security," Blackshaw said. "We wish they would passlegislation that could take care of it and fall back onto it, but they neverwanted to do that, so the responsibility fall(s) on the shoulders of thecommission."
With hundreds of thousands of visitors per year, betweenschool groups, tours and attendees of rallies or protests, security has becomea necessity.
"With the rise of political violence, I think we'd befools not to take care of ourselves," Blackshaw said.
He added that he does what he can to filter out anypolitical aspects away from himself and his staff.
"The commission's really done a nice job of keeping meout of politics, because I think once I, if I ever were to become political, Ithink I'm vulnerable, and then I probably wouldn't be in this chairanymore," Blackshaw said.
Blackshaw said he is a nonpartisan person. He said he triesto be open-minded and listen to other opinions on Capitol-related matters sothat good ideas are not disregarded.
He added that the security operation at the Capitol wasnonexistent about five years ago. It now takes up about one-third of his timemanaging it all, he said. Up until that time, the Capitol was an open buildingwith no security intake.
Monthly meetings are held with security officials to discussupcoming events on the grounds to plan how they approach security duringevents, rallies and protests.
Another recent project has involved a drone software programthat has been launched, which detects any drones that fly over Capitolairspace.
The state currently does not have enforcement powers overdrones entering its airspace and the state files flight plans with the FederalAviation Administration to use drones for actions like building inspections.
Legislation is under consideration that would cover issuesincluding who has rights to the Capitol airspace, classifying the Capitol ascritical infrastructure and limitations on state purchasing of drones.
Rep. William Bruck, R-Erie, who has spearheaded a largeHouse legislative package on drones, said Blackshaw has been involved in thelegislation since early in the process and very supportive.
"He's definitely kept his thumb on the pulse ofit," Bruck said. "It does mean a lot … to have people who could beimpacted be involved."
Bruck said Blackshaw and the commission have been very goodto work with on the bills.
He said he believes the House may be able to move the dronebills in mid-April, after the legislative spring break. Bruck said he has alsospoken to bill sponsors of drone legislation in the Senate as well.
Blackshaw said he and the Capitol staff cannot be in theirroles forever and are stewards of the building. Eventually, he and others willpass the torch to others to keep the building in good shape for the public toenjoy.
"I've been here now just over 10-and-a-half years backfrom when I started back, and at this point, I would like to stay here until Iretire," Blackshaw said. "I don't know what that date is, but as longas I'm having fun, I tell my wife, and it's not a super big burden, I'm goingto just continue to let it roll for a while, because it is a fun place towork."
-- By Nick Smith
Gongwer