Salvation Army

A Mission-Driven Approach to Facilities

When Ross Wheeler joined The Salvation Army over a decade ago, he wasn’t just taking a facilities role — he was stepping into a mission. As the Capital Renewal Plan Manager for The Salvation Army’s Southern Territory, Ross oversees the long-term health of some of the most impactful community centers in the country: the Kroc Centers.

In 2 minutes: Ross explains his journey with The Salvation Army and why the Kroc Centers matter so deeply.

Funded by a historic $1.5 billion endowment from Joan Kroc — wife of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc — the Kroc Centers are state-of-the-art community hubs offering wellness, education, arts, and spiritual support in underserved neighborhoods. These aren’t just gyms or shelters. They’re safe havens.

“Our facilities are the backbone that enable our teams to serve communities,” Ross said. “When they fail, we fail to serve.”

The Challenge: Scaling Preventive Maintenance Across 15 States

Despite their advanced infrastructure, the Kroc Centers — and many of The Salvation Army’s other sites — relied heavily on paper processes and spreadsheets. Preventive maintenance was difficult to plan, and everything felt urgent.

In 2 minutes: How managing high-tech facilities like indoor pools prompted a cultural shift toward preventive maintenance.

“Everything was considered urgent,” Ross recalled. “We couldn’t prioritize effectively because we didn’t have structure.”

The Solution: A Modern CMMS Built for the Field

In 2023, The Salvation Army made the switch to UpKeep, a mobile-first CMMS platform that gave their facility managers the structure and real-time visibility they needed.

In 2 minutes: Ross explains the switch from spreadsheets and Archibus to UpKeep and the importance of mobile-first tools.

“UpKeep met our teams where they are — in the field,” Ross said.

Teams now manage work orders, prioritize tasks, and track asset health from their phones — even when being deployed for disaster relief or emergency response.

The Results: From Chaos to Clarity

In 2 minutes: Ross shares how sensor monitoring of equipment like well pumps and freezers is saving money and avoiding failure.

• $1,500/month utility savings from proactive maintenance on pool heaters and mechanical systems.
• Much less unplanned downtime at critical facilities thanks to improved preventive maintenance routines.
• Fewer spoiled goods through temperature sensor monitoring in refrigerators and freezers.
• Stronger alignment and morale as teams adopt service level agreements and shared priorities.

In 2 minutes: Teams can now prioritize better, structure their work, and avoid being overwhelmed during emergencies.

Culture Shift: Turning Vision into Action

With UpKeep, The Salvation Army’s facilities leaders began standardizing expectations, developing SLAs, and using analytics to report progress. Local teams now operate with shared priorities, and the entire organization is more data-driven.

In 2 minutes: How UpKeep helped spark meaningful conversations about service levels and long-term planning.

“UpKeep helped us have the conversations we never had before — about SLAs, asset life, priorities. That shift was huge.”

Want to explore how UpKeep can help your facilities serve their mission? Book a demo or get in touch.