Of all the experiences he has had over 35 years at UT Southwestern, one day stands out above the rest for Ruben Gonzales Jimenez Jr.

Dec. 31, 1999 – the eve of an anticipated computer glitch known as the Y2K bug – is entrenched in his memory. That was the day people around the world feared that computers would crash because most code included only the last two digits for that year; many feared computers would read “00” as the year 1900. So Mr. Jimenez, who works in Facilities Management, spent that New Year’s Eve braced for whatever unusual event might happen when 2000 arrived. Fortunately, nothing did.

“Everything went so smoothly,” Mr. Jimenez says. “No technical issues occurred.”

Keeping things running well is just the way he likes it, and over the past three decades, Mr. Jimenez has strived to do exactly that. Since he was hired as a maintenance worker in 1987, he has been committed to doing his job well and making others feel welcomed with a simple “howdy.”

“Greeting people just makes you feel good inside,” says Mr. Jimenez, today a Mechanical Foreman.

Being part of a large team that works well together has been one of his greatest rewards. Like everyone in his group, he strives to make things better for everyone on campus.

“With all the departments we have, it is tremendously important to communicate,” he says. “Together, we can solve any kind of problem, no matter what occurs.”

On the job, he takes pride in being someone who can take charge when needed. Although he’s excelled in his profession, there is one dream of his that people might be surprised to learn about.

“I’m scared of heights and I’m claustrophobic,” Mr. Jimenez says. “But I always wanted to be an astronaut.”

On the other hand, he still enjoys hobbies that are more down-to-earth, such as bowling. “I was a good bowler in my prime,” he says. “I won a lot of trophies.”

Mr. Jimenez, who has five children, 10 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, says he shares a bucket list with his wife, Blanca. “We want to see the national parks in this great nation in which we live,” he says.