A MAN WHO BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN GARNETT IS RETIRING AFTER A 44 YEAR CAREER. RANDY WEST, DISTRICT ENGINEER IN SALINA, WILL BE RETIRING. WEST BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH KDOT IN 1979 AS AN ENGINEER IN TRAINING IN GARNETT WHERE HE WORKED ON SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE FOUR-LANE ALIGNMENT FOR U.S. 69 FROM LOUISBURG TO OVERLAND PARK. HE THEN WAS PROMOTED TO ROAD DESIGN AT KDOT HEADQUARTERS IN TOPEKA, WHERE HE WORKED FOR ANOTHER YEAR BEFORE BEING PROMOTED TO BRIDGE DESIGN IN TOPEKA. IN 1986, WEST WAS PROMOTED TO AREA ENGINEER IN ELLSWORTH WHERE HE SETTLED DOWN JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN. IN 2003, HE WAS PROMOTED TO MAINTENANCE ENGINEER IN SALINA, AND IN 2007, HE WAS NAMED TO HIS CURRENT POSITION OF DISTRICT ENGINEER.
WEST SAYS HE IS VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF REBUILDING THE INTERSTATE AND SAYS HE TAKES PRIDE IN HELPING PEOPLE GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO SAFELY. CONGRATULATIONS AND ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT RANDY!
