Behind the Scenes with Dakin's Problem Solver

When Chris Skelton joined Dakin as facility manager at the end of 2024, no one realized we were gaining a full-time MacGyver—someone with a knack for gadgets and a creative approach to problem-solving. While he may not be saving the world like the TV icon, Chris has made life at Dakin run noticeably smoother in countless ways.

As he puts it, his role is about “keeping the building up and running, with the doors swinging the way they’re supposed to be swinging—making sure it’s hot when it should be hot and cold when it should be cold.” At its core, his work ensures the safety, security, and comfort of both animals and people.

But Chris quickly proved he brings more than maintenance expertise. From day one, he made it a priority to get to know his colleagues—their roles, their challenges, and how he might help. “I wanted to understand what people needed,” he said. “Sometimes ideas come just from observing and asking, ‘Would this make your job easier?’”

Not long after he started, that mindset paid off. Since 1994, Yankee Candle Company has generously donated coins to Dakin that are collected from the moat at its flagship store. Cleaning those coins by hand used to take weeks. Chris found a faster solution: renting a mini cement mixer to power-wash them. The result? A job that once took weeks was completed in a single day.

His ingenuity also made a difference in the Spay/Neuter Clinic. Staff had been struggling with a messy issue during pre-surgical prep. Chris designed simple “pee shields” using scrap plexiglass and PVC trim—an inexpensive fix that significantly reduced cleanup time.

Chris with one of the newly-created "pee shields."

Seeing an influx of cardboard from shipping boxes, Chris found yet another opportunity. He created jigs to cut uniform strips and built forms to produce disposable cardboard scratchers for shelter cats. Because scratchers often need to be discarded for sanitary reasons, these handmade versions help reduce ongoing costs.

Chris traces his inventive spirit back to a high school shop teacher who encouraged hands-on problem-solving. “He’d give me a box of random parts and challenge me to build something functional by the end of the day,” Chris recalled. “I usually finished by lunchtime. I like a challenge.”

Innovation is one of Dakin’s core values, alongside integrity and compassion. With Chris on the team, that spirit of creativity is alive and well—making a meaningful difference every day.