Sodexo manager position is in limbo

Sodexo+Interim+General+Manager+Hal+McLaughlin+isn%E2%80%99t+%0Acertain+how+long+he%E2%80%99ll+stay+at+Pitt-Johnstown.+

Mary-Lynn Retassie

Sodexo Interim General Manager Hal McLaughlin isn’t certain how long he’ll stay at Pitt-Johnstown.

Lucy Li, Copy Editor

Pitt-Johnstown students are saying goodbye to another campus leader: the dining general manager, Kevin Dicey. 

Dicey said that he was promoted to the Pitt-Oakland residential dining general manager, and last Tuesday was his last full day at Pitt-Johnstown. 

He said he was at Pitt-Johnstown for three years, and he would be visiting periodically as support and as a parent—his son Jon is a Pitt-Johnstown senior.

Dicey said that there are many achievements that he is proud of from his three years at Pitt-Johnstown.

“(They include) the dining room remodel, the addition of Daily Grind, staff development and training, the relationships with the student body and the (food stop) at Blackington,” he said. 

Although he has left with achievements, Dicey also said he has some regrets. 

“I regret not being able to bring the food truck to campus, (and) not being able to bring Asian food concepts on campus,” said Dicey. 

Sophomore student Dandre Bell said that he doesn’t have any complaints about the dining hall. 

“I was pretty happy with the way it was run last year,” he said. 

He said, however, he hopes a new manager could add more weekend hours.

Hal McLaughlin, the interim general manager, is managing the dining services on campus while a decision is being made on a Dicey replacement. He said he’s not certain whether he’ll take on the position.

“Maybe; it depends. The school and Sodexo are looking into it.

“I like it here: the students, the employees and the campus.”

On his last full day on campus, Dicey said that he will miss Pitt-Johnstown.

“I will miss the energy the students bring to the Student Union, and I will miss all the friends I made–the faculty, the staff and the students.” 

“I wish I had the opportunity to say ‘Bye’. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats. I ask the students to trust the dining team. They truly work hard every day to make every day a better day for you,” Dicey said.