Farewell Wishes for Olaf Erkens

After nearly 45 years as a member of the Faculty of Business and Economics -35 of those as Head of WiWi IT - the Faculty is saying goodbye to its employee, Olaf Erkens. Mr. Erkens first joined the Faculty as a student before later transitioning to the Faculty administration as an employee.

Mr. Erkens was not only an IT veteran of the Faculty but was also among the very first employees in this field at TU Dortmund University as a whole. He personally installed the first faculty network by hand in the catacombs of the university vaults and, in the years that followed, reliably equipped the professorships with ever-evolving hardware and software. As the interface between the Faculty and the IT and Media Center of TU Dortmund, he always represented the Faculty's interests with great commitment.

Over the years, Olaf Erkens has guided the Faculty through numerous technological and personnel changes. He worked for a total of nine Deans and supported countless lecturers and staff members. With his open manner, he regularly made sure important Faculty IT concerns were heard. With great patience and a necessary pinch of humor, he provided even the most non-technical colleagues with the knowledge and skills needed to handle constantly changing requirements. The security of the IT infrastructure was always his top priority, and he never shied away from regularly alerting all Faculty members to the dangers of careless usage.

In the Dean’s Office administration, Olaf Erkens was a valuable member of the Faculty management and always placed himself at the service of the team and the Faculty. His colleagues will miss his warm nature - and the scent of Mettbröttchen in the hallway.

With Olaf Erkens, a very dedicated and highly esteemed employee is leaving the Faculty. The Dean's Office, all professors, academic staff, and colleagues thank him sincerely for his patient support over all these years and wish him all the best for this new chapter in his life!