I've been thinking a lot about Ken this week. Ken is our technician, he who helped Don and I get our cabinet moved home from Goodwill.
I first met Ken when he started here as a student. He went on to become our department technician after Dale Monday retired. Dale came back half time as our piano technician and this left a half time tech position for Ken. It's been like that for almost four years. In that time Ken has married and he and his wife, Rachel, have a cute little boy now, Evan.
Even though Rachel is a teacher and Ken works half time here and pt with his dad and with the rural fire department, it just was not enough to give financial stability to his family, not to mention, time stability. Early in October Ken received a phone call from the instrument technician at CSU East Bay. He was retiring and he wanted to encourage Ken to apply for his full time job.
That offer opened the door to some hard negotiating on our end with the various money powers that be, to get Ken upgraded to full time. The best that we could get from the PTB's was a maybe in July when a new fiscal year starts. End result? Ken accepted the position and we lose Ken. His last day is tomorrow.
We have a very good alternative already lined up to replace him, one of our graduates and is hugely respected by the faculty. Phil Short is a good guy and I will like working with him, but . . . Ken, you did the right thing. You put your family first and I wish you all the best, but damn, I'm really going to miss you.
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