Newsroom
Rod Young officially retires from PEC
Message from Rod …
“I have been truly blessed during my 26-year career at PEC. Not only was I given the opportunity to work on many challenging and exciting projects, but also managed and worked alongside the most intelligent, dedicated, and amazing family of professionals.
When I look back on my career, one of the things I will always treasure is the many personal relationships I was blessed to establish. Friendships — I never took for granted and will always remember and cherish.
Someone recently asked me ‘How do you want to be remembered?’ My very simple and not very sexy reply… ‘I truly cared.’ I truly cared about our employees, this incredible firm, and our valued customers.”
After 25+ years at PEC, Rod Young will officially retire June 17, 2020. Rod’s career in civil engineering has spanned 35 years. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Kansas State University in 1984 and he joined PEC in 1994, as a civil engineer in the Environmental Division.
In 2002, Rod became PEC’s Municipal Division Manager. He joined PEC’s Board of Directors in 2006 and became PEC’s third President/CEO in 2008. Rod assumed the role of Chairman of the Board and announced his pending retirement in 2019.
Rod has guided PEC through tremendous growth, adding additional satellite offices throughout the region and expanding its workforce across all divisions.
“The biggest focus I’ve seen has been our focus on customer satisfaction and corporate culture,” Rod said. “In our field, engineers are getting harder and harder to find, so you have to aggressively recruit but also retain the ones you get.”
For Rod that has included, building a health and fitness center for PEC’s Wichita employees and creating a new position — customer relations manager — whose sole job is to ask existing clients what PEC can do better.
Rod and his wife Terry Young have major plans for his retirement (see About Rod R. Young, PE below), including continuing to contribute to the community. Rod will assume the position of President of the Butler Community College Foundation in July. He plans to continue to volunteer for the Wichita Open and the two are also proud season ticket holders to the Wichita Wind Surge.
Rod said he will always remember and cherish the friends he has made over the years – Rod wants you to know his cell number will not change. He is free, give him a call.
Please send retirement notes, messages, best wishes, comments, stories, remembrances, and congratulations to happyretirementrod@pec1.com
Young Rod Young
As a little boy, Rod Young grew up among the rolling Flint Hills of Butler County, Kansas. During his summers in Rose Hill, Rod found a love for the outdoors and construction. He spent many summers building basements and framing houses in the area. He quickly learned the best way to cure the previous night’s hangover was to pour concrete or drive nails while watching the sunrise!
Rod was raised by two of the most giving parents — Gene and Dixie Young. His parents were lifelong educators — Rod was expected to attend college. Rod followed his sister to Kansas State University in 1978, but without any direction on a career choice. The first year at KSU he majored in Aggieville. The second year he followed his love for the outdoors and enrolled in K-State’s pre-forestry program. The most impactful moment in his career happened nine months later.
Rod received a summer internship at the White National Forest in Yampa, Colorado. On the first day of orientation, a ranger walked in and quickly explained to the 12 students that he had his master’s degree and was only able to find part-time work for $12,000 per year. Without any hesitation, Rod decided to enjoy the summer in Yampa, but quickly announced that he was now going to be a civil engineer.
Rod starts his civil engineering career
In 1984, he began his engineering career in Iola, Kansas for a firm of only seven people. Looking back, working for this small firm played a key role in his career. Small firms could not afford to have specialists, so you had to wear many different hats – surveying, KDOT-certified inspector/materials testing, and various design expectations including streets, water towers, pump stations, treatment facilities, public utilities, and stormwater systems.
Rod started his career at PEC in 1994, in Mike Schomaker’s Environmental Division. In 2002, Rod became PEC’s Municipal Division Manager. He joined PEC’s Board of Directors in 2006, and became PEC’s third President/CEO in 2008. In 2019, Rod announced his pending retirement and assumed the role as Chairman of the Board and mentor for PEC’s next president.
During his design career, Rod worked on many notable projects including Intrust Bank Arena, NewMarket Square, KSU’s Jardine Student Apartments, Fort Riley’s 300-acre Beddown Facility, Goddard’s Eisenhower School Complex, McConnell’s Live Munitions Ramp, and Yates Center’s 200-acre Multi-Purpose Reservoir.
Family and community
During his time in Iola, Rod met his wife Terry. “Love at first sight” is an understatement, as Rod asked Terry to marry him 14 days after they met. Obviously, some may say this was a little quick, but he admits this was the best decision of his life. Thirty-three years later, they are still together. They have three kids – Andrea, Alyssa, and Austin. They also have five grandchildren – Hunter, Gage, Sebastian, Zaylee, and Caiden and two very spoiled Gordon Setters – Bronx and Brodie.
Rod’s interests outside of engineering include hunting upland game, fishing, golfing, and being an avid K-State and Kansas City Chiefs sports fan. He is also a proud supporter of Butler Community College – where he will become President of the Butler Foundation in July. Finally, Rod is also excited to continue volunteering for the Wichita Open.
Rod and Terry have major plans for Rod’s retirement life. They have lined up plans to travel and spend time with their grandchildren. The two will also be proud season ticket holders to the Wichita Wind Surge next year. And, most recently, are very excited about getting re-introduced to camping.
Happy camping Rod!
