Being the sole person in charge of keeping the largest WSDOT-owned facility clean, well-stocked and functioning may seem like a daunting task to many. Maintenance Custodian Clarence Caruthers sees it as a challenge, and enjoys the hands-on work he gets to do every day.

Clarence is responsible for custodial duties and routine maintenance work for the WSDOT Southwest Region (SWR) Headquarters building, an 119,670 square foot facility in Vancouver. The facility currently houses 225 employees and has housed as many as 280.

Up until about a month ago, he was also responsible for maintaining the Main Street maintenance facility. Clarence’s supervisors in the Facilities department split his time between the two buildings after Main Street’s custodian left for another job. “Clarence has been very flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to make sure we’re all taken care of,” says supervisor Duane Honeycutt.

Staying busy and tackling new tasks is what Clarence loves about his job. “It’s a challenge, but it takes the monotony out of the routine of daily maintenance,” he says. Since joining WSDOT in 2002, his job description has changed significantly. Clarence has embraced those changes, completed his tasks with excellence and initiated changes of his own, all with a positive attitude and smile on his face.

Clarence has gone above and beyond the requirements of his job to make sure both facilities are cared for. He says it’s an honor to have the added responsibility, and he enjoys learning new equipment and new, more efficient processes for maintaining the buildings.

Hard work and perseverance are evident in everything Clarence does, including his personal pursuits. He built his own backyard greenhouse where he grows and cultivates his own herbs and vegetables, and plans to build more as he finds time. He and his wife enjoy researching stories of heists on the Oregon Trail and taking their metal detectors in search of the lost treasures. They’ve traveled Oregon and Idaho for years, finding pieces of the past.

Whether he’s at work making life easier for SWR employees, or at home planning elaborate treasure hunting adventures and making life fun for his wife and daughter, Clarence Caruthers is a true delight to work with and an asset to WSDOT. “He is a great example of someone who works very hard and wants to provide the highest level of service he can to his customers,” says Duane. “We truly appreciate his selfless public service.”

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