Hamline Hires New Facilities Director

Dusty Johnson takes over operations and capital planning from retiring Ken Dehkes.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Hamline University has hired Dusty Johnson as the new Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations and Capital Planning, replacing the recently retired Ken Dehkes. Johnson, who previously worked as the Director of Facilities Management at UW-Superior for 15 years, is tasked with overseeing the university's facilities services, maintenance, and long-term planning.

Why it matters

Hamline's facilities department has faced budget cuts and staffing challenges in recent years, leading to delays in addressing maintenance issues and preventative work. Johnson's hiring is seen as an opportunity to rebuild trust with the campus community and get the department back on track.

The details

In his new role, Johnson will be responsible for managing all maintenance on Hamline's property, as well as planning and preparing for future facility needs. Some of his initial priorities include fixing the campus heating system, installing new gym bleachers, and performing maintenance on the historic Manor Hall. Johnson acknowledges the department has been understaffed, making it difficult to keep up with work orders, and plans to hire additional personnel to support the facilities team.

  • Dusty Johnson was hired in early February 2026, taking over for Ken Dehkes who retired at the end of September 2025.
  • Johnson has been in his new role for about six weeks as of the time of this story.

The players

Dusty Johnson

The new Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations and Capital Planning at Hamline University, who previously worked as the Director of Facilities Management at UW-Superior for 15 years.

Ken Dehkes

The former Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations and Capital Planning at Hamline University, who retired at the end of September 2025.

Dan Eisenrich

A Facilities Services Project Coordinator at Hamline University who has worked there for two years and appreciates Johnson's leadership.

Frog Tolstad

A junior anthropology and education major at Hamline University who has noticed the facilities department being understaffed and underfunded.

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What they’re saying

“I was really drawn to the campus. I wasn't really looking for a job necessarily, but this came up and my wife said, 'You know, this looks interesting,' so I put my hat in.”

— Dusty Johnson, Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations and Capital Planning (hamlineoracle.com)

“We've got good people here, and I think they just need some help.”

— Dusty Johnson, Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations and Capital Planning (hamlineoracle.com)

“Dusty is a breath of fresh air. He's really knowledgeable, really ambitious and really attentive to different departments and staff needs. I like working with him.”

— Dan Eisenrich, Facilities Services Project Coordinator (hamlineoracle.com)

What’s next

Johnson plans to focus on hiring additional staff to support the facilities team and address the backlog of maintenance issues on campus.

The takeaway

Hamline's new facilities director, Dusty Johnson, is tasked with rebuilding trust in the department and addressing longstanding staffing and funding challenges in order to improve campus infrastructure and maintenance.