Construction and maintenance on campus would fairly rapidly come to a halt without the help of employees like Dean Meyer.
A senior storekeeper, he's one of a handful of UC Davis Facilities employees charged with receiving and checking in products destined for the campus's many craft units -- where trade workers in the sheet metal and machine shop, electrical maintenance, plumbing, refrigeration or ventilation shops, for example, use the goods to keep the campus humming along.
Meyer has worked out of the same room in the receiving complex -- nestled at the base of the UC Davis watertower -- for more than 30 years. "Not too many people can say that with all the office shuffling that goes on," he says.
The adjacent neighborhood of temporary-styled buildings is a hub of activity, punctuated by the whirr of fork lifts and rumble of diesel-powered engines passing by. Some 15 to 20 freight trucks -- plus UPS, Fed Ex and other overnight carriers -- will drop off materials at Meyer's doorstep today.
Up to about 150 different types of goods might arrive in one day -- from nails, light bulbs, pipes and paper goods, to air conditioning units or the giant 10,000-gallon water tank Meyer's department received recently for use at the UC Davis landfill area.
Like shipments, visitors are warmly received in Meyer's professional, yet casual office. "I like helping people," the 35-year employee says. "It's rewarding when you can make sure they get things in a timely manner, so they can get their jobs done."
Over the years, Meyer has been known as a people-pleaser at work both professionally and socially. "I try to keep the sense of humor up around here a little," he admits. With that, he produces some photos from Halloween 1982-'84, when he came to work dressed as a woman. His costume included nylon hose and an over-the-top tendency to flirtatiously lift the hem of his skirt to thigh height when taunted playfully by wolf-whistling co-workers.
Chuckling at the old pictures, Meyer launches into the lilting Julia Childs voice he used to use to complete the Halloween character.
Those were the times on campus 20-plus years ago, when things were not quite so culturally correct as now, he notes. "It was much looser in those days."
The Julia Childs impressions are rare these days. Meyer is now more known in the division for his natural, deep, James Earl Jones-esque voice. It's perfect for belting out a rich-toned "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Trails," so staff call upon him regularly to help celebrate special employee occasions. And he's happy to volunteer -- "as long as there's a piece of cake involved."
Meyer soon will be embarking on his own happy trail. He plans to retire at the end of winter quarter.
Besides Corvettes -- Meyer and his wife, Barbara, a longtime campus communications resources employee, own two of the classic cars, a 1973 and 1989 -- Meyer enjoys his motorhome and fishing at Lake Berryessa. He's also a member of the Yolo Sportsman Association. After retirement, he plans to spend more time gunning for clay pigeons at the shooting range.
"So I'll basically be playing with all my toys," the Winters resident quips.