That old fax of mine

General Article
May 15, 2003

If it's broken, unwanted or both, Kevin Dunlevy can find it a home

Kevin Dunlevy, the center's asset coordinator, uses a forklift to raise pallets of office equipment in the Lea warehouse, the temporary home for surplus gear. Photo by Todd McNaught

By LAUREN VANE

When the fax machine in your office finally meets its match and can't transmit one more memo, what do you do with it?

You don't know what's wrong. It could be out of ink. Does it even use ink? Again, you don't know. It could be completely unsalvageable, or maybe all it needs is a little tweak, and it will be good as new.

Whatever the problem, it's not working, and you want it gone. However, the broken clutter on your desk could be just the thing for someone else.

As asset coordinator for the center the past 11 years, one of Kevin Dunlevy's tasks is to find a home for the doomed fax machine - and every other surplused item at Fred Hutchinson.

The Lea warehouse, Dunlevy's unofficial office at the southeast corner of Valley Street and Minor Avenue, is the temporary home for all unwanted equipment. In his 11 years with the center, Dunlevy has seen a lot of stuff come in and go out.

"Some works," he said. "Some doesn't."

Functioning or not, each piece of discarded equipment often has a use.

Dunlevy takes most incoming items and donates them to schools, computer charities and other nonprofits in need of office equipment. Besides making donations, he this year reintroduced a way to clean house that was popular at the center five or so years ago - sporadic surplus sales.

In the sales, scheduled according to the bulk of surplused inventory, items are offered to center faculty and staff. So if you had a sentimental attachment to that old fax, perhaps you will be able to seek it out and place a bid. No guarantee that you won't end up in a bidding war, however.

"All the money generated goes right back to the center," Dunlevy said.

Dunlevy's job doesn't stop with managing the center's surplused items. He also inventories Fred Hutchinson assets every 18 months. Dunlevy's supervisor, Dave Knipp, manager of Shipping & Receiving, estimates the center's total assets at more than $37 million. In addition, Dunlevy handles center storage of records, which fill 8,000 boxes.

With 21 years and counting of Army service- seven years on active duty and 14 in the Reserves -Capt. Dunlevy said his bywords are "performance is everything." At the center, he works semi-autonomously to accomplish myriad tasks. "I have to be a self-starter and be able to juggle," he said.

His longevity at Fred Hutchinson and personal contact with faculty and staff at all levels are key to the enjoyment of his job.

"I've been around long enough and have gotten comfortable enough that I can strike up a conversation with a rock," he said with a grin. "But there's always a new challenge, and I like that, too."

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