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Keeping it Cool for Duke Dining

Calvin Morgan monitors refrigeration and cooking equipment at nearly 30 campus dining locations

Calvin Morgan with Duke Dining Services replaces and greases the valves of a gas grill from the Marketplace eatery on East Campus. Photo by April Dudash
Calvin Morgan with Duke Dining Services replaces and greases the valves of a gas grill from the Marketplace eatery on East Campus. Photo by April Dudash

Name: Calvin Morgan Position: Refrigeration and HVAC specialist, Duke Dining ServicesYears at Duke: 21What I do at Duke: I’m making sure all the refrigeration and cooking equipment is running in about 30 locations of Duke Dining Services, East Campus being the biggest. We’ve got locations such as McDonald’s, the Loop Pizza Grill and Twinnie’s. We put in a whole lot of time around here. We’ve got a whole lot of people in Dining Services, I don’t think a lot of people realize how much work goes into preparing a meal and making sure the equipment’s running and preparing events. There’s a lot of hard work that our guys do.  If I had $5 million, I would: Make a lot of people happy. I’d give money to anybody who’s ever been nice to me or helped me. I think that’s what you’re supposed to do. My first ever job: I worked in a school bus garage during the summer of 1974 washing school buses and getting them ready to paint. This was in Durham. My dream job: I’m still trying to decide what I want to do when I grow up. I think Charles Kuralt had a really good job; he rode around to all the historic sites for “On the Road with Charles Kuralt.” I’d like to do that for a little while. The best advice I ever received: Somebody once told me that 99 percent wasn’t good enough, if you think it is, ride on an airplane at 99 percent. When I’m not at work, I like to: Both my wife and I are in our late 50s, and I enjoy getting time off with just my wife. I like to go to the coast, in Emerald Isle. (The couple has a beach property.) I really like it in the winter because there’s nobody down there. I don’t like crowds that much. If I could have one superpower, it would be: To feel like I did when I was 30. That would be sufficient. An interesting/memorable day at work for me: Every day’s a new adventure. I could be scheduling getting equipment and furniture moved one day, or I could be on top of a McDonald’s freezer putting in a compressor in the afternoon. It’s whatever needs to be done. Something unique in my office: The Meritorious Award (One of Duke University and Health System’s highest honors to recognize employees and their contributions. Morgan received the award in April). I’ve had several people comment on it. I’m certainly proud of it and proud of the people who nominated me. A movie I like: The silent movies, with actors such the Barrymores and Buster Keaton. You can watch those now because they’ve been re-mastered. Music I like: Growing up the ‘70s, your tastes change over the years. Right now, if you listen in my truck, it’s classical music. It’s more soothing.