After more than two decades at UHN, Darek Wojtowicz is saying goodbye
Darek Wojtowicz has spent 22 years working at UHN, but he says it certainly doesn’t feel anywhere close to spending two decades in the same job. “I started as a Lyndhurst guy, then became a Toronto Rehab guy, then a KITE guy - it almost felt like a new job every few years,” says the Senior Systems Analyst at KITE. “Plus, the technology kept evolving, so it was always interesting.”
KITE has been a good fit, he says, because it’s allowed him to do more challenging work that incorporates lots of problem-solving. That’s why, in 2012, he chose to stay at KITE rather than take a more centralized IT role. “I like being in the thick of things,” he says.
Over the years, Wojtowicz has proven his dedication to KITE and his work ethic. In 2019, he won an Unsung Hero Award after the other two IT technicians at the Institute left their positions, leaving him to manage everything alone. “That was a tough stretch,” he admits. “But we got through it, and within a couple of months, we brought in new technicians and got back up to speed.”
Another memorable moment came from a challenge outside the doors of the TRI offices at 550 University Avenue. In 2010, the G20 Summit was in Toronto, and there were concerns over potential violence and disruption coming from the protests around it. As a result, Wojtowicz and the IT team slept over at TRI in case they were needed. “We were seriously ready—this is a hospital, and there are patients,” he says. “We were equipped with a special Rogers WAPs in case of any TRI service interruptions (our server room cooling system was on a ground level and just a few meters away from University Ave.) and stayed on-site overnight monitoring the situation.”
So it might be no wonder that he’s ready for a break. Wojtowicz jokes that his retirement plans are “watching Netflix 14 hours a day” – though he says he’s more likely to go on a long trip back to his homeland of Poland.
He will be greatly missed at KITE, says Director of Research Operations Andrew Turner. “Darek has been an outstanding colleague… His deep IT expertise, leadership, problem-solving drive, and warm personality have contributed enormously to KITE’s success. We wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”