Carlos Ramirez and David Padgett comprise the pair behind UGA’s fountain and irrigation team within the Facilities Management Division (FMD). Collectively, they oversee the water systems essential for fountains and landscaping throughout the Athens campus, stretching from the Arch to College Station Road. Their duties are both extensive and vital.

“The most crucial aspect is collaboration,” Ramirez remarked. “Yet, we also share an excellent friendship.”

Despite their age difference, Ramirez, 26, and Padgett, 67, possess a distinct connection. Both hail from Athens-Clarke County (ACC) and are alumni of Cedar Shoals High School, exactly four decades apart.

Padgett, from the class of 1977, has enjoyed a diverse career over several decades. He commenced his professional path at the Atlanta Gas Light Company in 1985. He subsequently managed sports facilities at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central High Schools, installed water meters for ACC, and even worked game-day security for UGA football for 19 years. In 2015, he became a part of FMD, moving through various roles in the grounds and landscape departments before joining the fountains and irrigation team three years ago.

Ramirez, a Cedar Shoals graduate of 2017, honed his skills at Laserturf, a company located in Watkinsville that specializes in the construction and refurbishment of athletic fields. For eight years, he participated in projects across stadiums in the Southeast, including Sanford Stadium.

Their journeys first intertwined when Ramirez was hired for one of Padgett’s tasks at UGA’s Intramural Fields. They cultivated a strong connection during that period, and when Ramirez became an irrigation specialist at UGA in 2023, the shift was effortless.

The post Fountain and irrigation team elevates campus landscapes appeared first on UGA Today.