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As part of Duke Appreciation, Duke pays special tribute to faculty and staff celebrating career service
milestones of 10 years or more at the Night of Duke Stars, an invitation-only event. There are more
than 2,000 employees celebrating a special milestone this year, including two people who have worked
at Duke for 50 years. The following are examples from those celebrating this year of the many roles
and contributions that help make Duke the special place it is today. Additional examples
can be found online.
"My dad started working in the Duke machine shop in 1942...I've been around the university all my life."
Ken Nichols
After four decades of heading dutifully to dorms, classrooms and other campus buildings with a hammer or plunger in tow, Ken Nichols takes pride in being able to fix just about any problem imaginable. And sometimes, his reward is a friendly hug. "A lot of people get shocked when someone comes up and hugs an old man's neck," said Nichols, a senior general maintenance mechanic in Facilities Management. But after such a long tenure at Duke, it's only natural that he's developed close ties with the people he's met. In fact, it's his favorite part of the job. "You make a lot of close friends over the years," he said. "It sticks with you. You get to meet people from the top to the bottom of personnel. We do have a diverse group of people here, and it's enjoyable." Nichols' relationship with Duke started long before he began working in Facilities Management in the late 1960s. He was born and raised in a house in Duke Forest, where he still lives. "My dad started working in the Duke machine shop in 1942, right after I was born," he said. "At one time, he had six of his kids working on campus. I've been around the university all my life." Nichols began working at Duke soon after he and his wife had their first child because Duke provided a steadier alternative to his construction job. In 1966, he took time off to serve in the U.S. Army, including one year in Vietnam. After he returned in 1968, he moved up from carpenter to general maintenance mechanic manager and then to his current position. His stint handling maintenance in the dorms ranks high among his most memorable experiences. "That is a major job, keeping up with whatever needs fixing," he said. The jobs range from unstopping commodes and sinks to balancing light systems and changing window panes. Currently, his teams are working to conserve water in response to one of the worst droughts on record in the Durham area. Nichols works with his staff to change pipes and replace automatic flush systems to help reduce water use. At 66, Nichols grudgingly accepts his nickname, "Old Man," from his colleagues. Hoping to reach retirement this year, the veteran will celebrate his 40-year anniversary in December, and he is thankful that Duke helped him raise a family, including three daughters, and five grandchildren. "It's been a trip," he said. "And I've enjoyed it."
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