CURTIS HENRY
Distribution Manager
Mike Kozlowski is a blue-collar American. He is a husband to his wife Cindy; he is an Indianapolis Colts fan; and he is a Fredonian. The beloved equipment manager, referred to by many simply as “Koz,” is finally on his way to retirement after 35 years of work on this campus.
Kozlowski started his work here in 1981 as a maintenance worker in the library. He worked his way to McEwen and, eventually, found a new home working in Dods Hall with the sports faculty in 1995.
At the time when he started here, campus was extremely different from what it is now. There was still a bowling alley on campus; the Buffalo Bills still made their rounds on an annual basis to Fredonia for summer training camp. Kozlowski has seen the campus evolve steadily over his years here, but the one constant in his career has been the people he’s worked with along the way.
“The people here really are amazing,” Kozlowski said. “That’s been the best part of my job here, really. The people, the atmosphere. A lot of different people, [a] lot of new friendships over the years.”
His favorite memories include those of the 1994 hockey team, which made the Frozen Four in Wisconsin and of the experiences he had with Bills players like Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. The Bills haven’t made the playoffs since 1999, the last year that training camp was held in Fredonia.
“Must have been the way we did the wash,” Kozlowski said, a grin overtaking his face.
Fredonia’s Athletic Director Greg Prechtl had the utmost praise and appreciation for Kozlowski’s time here.
“He’s a behind-the-scenes type of guy, and he’s incredibly humble. He’s never looked for credit,” said Prechtl. “I’ve seen a lot of people around here in my 46 years or so, and no one works as hard or cares as much for other people on this campus as Koz. No one.”
Since starting his work as equipment manager more than 20 years ago, Kozlowski’s weeks have been six days long, and days have been eight to 10 hours, some days even longer.
“It’s a job, but it’s more than a job,” Kozlowski said. “I’m here for all the coaches and all the students and anything they need. I know how important they are to me and how important I am to them.”
“Koz just tries to make everyone’s job a little bit easier, and I really think that everyone’s relationship with Mike is a positive one. He’s a great guy and won’t be easy to replace, that’s for sure,” said Prechtl.
His time in Fredonia surely won’t be over. He and his wife began a Fall prostate and ovarian cancer awareness event in 2015, and the hope is to continue the event annually for years to come. In its inaugural year, the event raised more than $3,100.
As for his plans post-retirement, Kozlowski said that he’s not entirely sure what he’ll do with his newfound free time.
“I haven’t thought too much about it. I’d love to travel with Cindy and get back to fishing — haven’t done that in a long time,” he said. “I’ll have so much free time that I might even pick up part-time work. We’ll have to see.”