MADISON – The faculty and staff at Rainbow Elementary School appreciate the work ethic of Plant Manager Gordon Wilkerson – so much so, they selected him as “Staff Member of the Year” for 2021.

In his work responsibilities, Wilkerson maintains the electrical, plumbing, mechanical, HVAC and cosmetic needs of the school building.

“Daily, I work on work order requests and take care of any emergency repairs that may come up,” Wilkerson said. “Weekly, I check on plumbing and electrical fixtures for leaks and functions. Monthly, I service HVAC units, mechanical rooms, water softener and the grounds.”

“Before I came to Rainbow, I worked at Lowe’s for about eight years. I started there as a loader and worked my way up to a plumbing specialist. Then, I went on to becoming a manager over appliances and cabinets,” Wilkerson said.

In 2016, Wilkerson started working for Madison City Schools as the Plant Manager for both Rainbow elementary and the MCS First Class Pre-Kindergarten Center. “I have been here at Rainbow since,” he said.

During his time at Rainbow, Wilkerson experienced an abundance of fulfillment from his work on construction of the school’s outdoor classroom. This project received certification as both a State Outdoor Classroom and a National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitat. This outdoor project features learning stations that promote different conservation and ecological themes, along with placards and signage for local plant and animal specimens.

After graduating from Bob Jones High School, Wilkerson attended the University of South Alabama in Mobile. “I moved to Madison from St. Louis, Mo. in 1997. I’ve lived here since,” Wilkerson said.

Gordon is married to Kristen Wilkerson. She works as a System Administrator with Exeter Finance Corporation.

In his spare time away from his job at Rainbow, Gordon likes to read. One surprising fact about Gordon is that he is color blind.

A fan of outdoors activities, Gordon likes to pursue woodworking, gardening, hiking, camping, playing with his dogs and cheering on the Trash Pandas Baseball Team.