Employee Spotlight: Mike Kern

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Lethbridge and have pretty much lived here my whole life. I have two boys, one who’s married and one who’s engaged, so my wife and I are empty nesters.

How long have you been at the U of L and what do you do here?
I’ve been here 27 years and I started as a delivery driver; now the position is called materials handling worker. I was newly married and a young parent and I wanted to have work that offered stability and quality of life. It was nice because I was able to be involved in family life and go to school and sports events with my kids. When I first started, materials management was located in temporary sheds by Hepler Hall. We operated in there until 2007 when the Parkway Service Complex was built. Now I’m distribution supervisor for shipping and receiving and mail services. We handle everything from envelopes to scientific equipment and computers. Everything that’s required for the University passes through our hands.

What’s the best thing about working at the U of L?
I like the University community. I get to work with a large variety of people. Ultimately, it’s nice that we’re able to help develop young minds and prepare them for the future. I take pride in the fact that we’re public servants and we have to be conscientious and focus on the big picture.

What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I’m a car enthusiast. The way I relax is by driving. On a nice day, I like to drive to smaller rural communities and go to car shows or show-and-shines. I have an interest in all things motor related, an interest I shared with my late brother, Rob, who worked in Sport & Recreation Services. I think I’ve passed my passion on because my sons and nephew are all car nuts. If I had a dream car, it would be a silver Porsche.

Editor's Note:
Here's your car, Mike. It's the best we could do on short notice.