In the past six months the cafeteria has changed its chefs, set-up, and appearance. Now, as of Jan. 5, the caf is under new management as well.
This semester the college welcomed a new general manager, Mark Fischer, as its most recent addition to the dining staff. Doug Gilmer, who has been with the college for decades, has been promoted to director of operations.
Gilmer, a veteran of the college’s dining services, began working with the college in 1963 as a dishwasher. Over time Gilmer was promoted to cook’s helper, head cook, kitchen manager, supervisor, and, eventually, general manager. In 1984 Gilmer was appointed production manager and remained in that position until 2002, when it was announced he would take over the role of service manager, where he remained until earlier this month.
According to a news release by Ty Buckner on the college’s Web site, Gilmer’s dedication to his work has earned him a great deal of gratitude from the athletic department. “In recognition of his service to athletics program at the college, Gilmer was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1990 and received [a National Association Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)] championship ring along with members of the 1973 men’s basketball team.”
Fischer has been working in contract food service for more than 15 years. Since receiving a bachelor’s degree in political science at East Carolina University in 1987 and studying at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Fischer has held several geographically diverse positions through ARAMARK Corp, another food service corporation. Fischer’s past college placements include location manager at East Carolina University, and catering director at UNC-Wilmington and at Kansas State University.
Fischer, a father of two, is pleased to settle in Greensboro and become acquainted with the college. “I wanted to build a relationship with an organization, and Guilford is that organization,” he said. “I’m very excited to have that opportunity, to be a part of a very diverse and growing community.”
Fischer says in the near future we can expect a new look in the caf, more frequent menu rotations, and food specialty nights; and according to a statement from Phil Manz, the college’s vice president and chief financial officer, “the program is going to continue to be responsive to student requests and suggestions.”
“You’re limited only in your facility,” Fischer said. “We can do a number of things in this facility, but we’d like to take it up a notch, the administration would like to take it up a notch, and the students would like to take it up a notch. So we’re very excited about the opportunities that lay ahead of us.