Hello PBSci Community,

I hope this email finds you well and ready to enjoy some downtime during the holiday season. Before the official start of the campus break, we have an important change in staffing in the facilities unit: Hal Kuhns, our facilities manager for the past five years, will be retiring at the end of December. 

Hal has led an adventurous life, starting in Florida where he earned a degree in Architecture from the University of Florida. He eventually found his way to California via a cross country trip on a Honda 650 motorcycle and spent the next thirty-five years working as a facilities manager in the medical device manufacturing industry. Hal was hired into his current position in 2015. During his time with us, Hal has overseen multiple construction projects, the completion and move in of the Coastal Biology Building and one final year filled with events and emergencies that no one could have predicted. Through it all, Hal has provided calm, steady leadership to his team in support of the work we do on this campus.

Hal has summed up his time here with us: “I will remember my time here as a very high point in my working life. The quality of the people and the standard of ethics conducted here is awesome. I have appreciated every day at UCSC. I couldn’t have asked for a more rewarding last job. Thank you all.”

In retirement, Hal is looking forward to more time with his wife of 22 years, taking in the beautiful Santa Cruz mountains, and visiting his daughter in New Zealand. I am deeply thankful for Hal’s service and I invite you to join me in wishing him well in his much deserved retirement.  

Hal’s last day will be December 23, 2020. Chris Parker has been selected to step into the facilities manager role starting December 16, 2020. Chris has been with the division serving in the capacity of facilities assistant manager since 2013. Prior to his current role, Chris spent nine years working for Santa Cruz Biotechnology providing facilities and lab support. He is a UCSC alum with a bachelor’s degree from MCDB. Chris’s extensive experience in facilities management, science background and dedication to our mission will benefit our division for years to come. He can be reached via email at cmp@ucsc.edu. Please join me in welcoming Chris into his new role leading the facilities team.

Happy Holidays,

Sarah Barron
Asst. Dean, Resources & Planning
srbarron@ucsc.edu