It’s been said that variety is the spice of life. Transportation Engineer (TE) 2 Vern Roy couldn’t agree more.
After graduating from Centralia College in 1984, Vern was hired as a Transportation Technician (TT) 2 in the Chehalis Area Engineering Office (AEO). He worked on a multitude of projects in Lewis County for four years before transferring to WSDOT’s Seattle office in Northwest Region.
Vern found his time in the Seattle office to be both fun and interesting. He was happy to work on several mega-projects, and even happier to form friendships with many of his co-workers. “I enjoyed working up north and I really miss the people,” says Vern. “Go Swamp Rats!” he adds in a shout-out to Northwest Region’s softball team.
After 16 years of hard work and friendship, Vern and his family relocated in 2005. The move took him back to where his career began – the Chehalis AEO. In his current position as a TE2, Vern loves the fact that he’s able to perform a variety of tasks for the projects he works on. He has had opportunities to work in utilities, survey, inspection, and design, and is able to provide guidance to his fellow co-workers. “I’ve had the opportunity to jump around and learn a lot about what we do,” Vern says.
Aside from the variety of professional opportunities WSDOT has provided, Vern has been able to pursue personal opportunities outside the office. Vern always wanted to be a Marine, and working at WSDOT allowed him to join the Marine Corps, go to boot camp and attend annual training each year. “My supervisors and the State have been so flexible and accommodating. It’s nice to know that I have a job when I get back each year, and to know that they’re so supportive of the work I do,” he says.
Vern often expresses gratitude for his job at WSDOT, and is extremely grateful for the people who step up to cover his WSDOT duties while he is away with the military. This includes his wife and two children. A 21-year veteran of the military, Vern spent his first 10 years in the Marines, and in October 2011 he will retire from military life after an additional 11 years with the Air National Guard.
When he’s not keeping Washington moving with WSDOT or serving his country, Vern can be found spending time with his family and friends. He and his family love to go on vacation, whether it is here in Washington State, across the nation or in another part of the globe. Vern likes working outdoors and around the house, riding his bike, and hanging out with family and friends. He especially enjoys fishing with friends that have a little more skill than him because he isn’t very good at fishing himself. He and his wife Kristin also spend a lot of time taking their two children, 11-year-old Madeleine and 9-year-old Zach, to dance and soccer practice.
No matter what he’s doing or where he’s located, Vern Roy is a shining example of the hard-working, dedicated employees we have at WSDOT. While he’s grateful for the variety of work he gets to do every day, we are grateful for the outstanding employee we have in Vern Roy.
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