Sodexo cuts Stan, three other positions

*NOTE: This story contains a correction.

Stan Bech, co-supervisor of the Mind & Hearth, has likely served his last cup of coffee to the Whitworth community.

Bech’s position was one of four full-time jobs cut by Sodexo to help fund the new food court service manager, said Jim O’Brien, general manager of Sodexo.

O’Brien said Megan Helm, formerly the Sodexo catering supervisor, will step in to the food court service manager position Oct. 6.

“The cost for this position with the benefits and everything is between $40,000 and $50,000, so we had to start going through our options,” O’Brien said. “We had to look internally to improve the operation. We decided to cut four full-time positions.”

A baker and O’Brien’s secretary were laid off as well, and the A La Carte in Hawthorne was completely eliminated, O’Brien said.

Bech began serving Whitworth coffee 17 years ago from his Espresso Delights stand.

“Three years ago, admissions toured other places and decided [Whitworth] needed a place like the Mind & Hearth – a coffee shop where students could hang out,” O’Brien said. “We wanted [Stan] on board, so when the Mind & Hearth opened, Stan became a Sodexo employee."

O'Brien said the decision to end Stan's position at Whitworth, along with the other jobs, was one of the hardest decisions he's ever had to make.

“It’s a sign of the times to have to cut things to make a program better," O'Brien said.

Read more in an upcoming issue of The Whitworthian.

Contact Morgan Feddes at morgan.feddes@whitworthian.com.

*The original caption for this story was incorrect. Bech applied for the new position but was not hired.

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