Goodyear Announces Its First Director of Engineering

For Immediate Release:

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Goodyear Announces Its First Director of Engineering

(GOODYEAR, AZ) Raul Varela was selected from a highly qualified pool of candidates as the City's first ever Director of Engineering. Raul came from the City of Mesa where he held the position of Deputy City Engineer and possesses his Professional Engineering License.

The City of Goodyear is continually developing the new infrastructure necessary to sustain it as it grows at a phenomenal rate, and this newly created position is essential as it takes on this feat. The City is thrilled to have Raul on board as Jim Nichols, Deputy City Manager claims, “Raul will provide a great compliment to the leadership already in place in the Engineering Department. He holds a great combination of technical and interpersonal skills that should allow him to effectively lead Engineering.”

Raul states, “I wanted to work for the City of Goodyear because I have enjoyed living in Goodyear for the last two years and I wanted to be part of the City's growth. I want to contribute and shape the future of Goodyear especially since all the major projects and growth are taking place around my home and community.”

Raul graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from Stanford University and an MS in Structural Engineering from Stanford University. He started his career with a consulting firm, CH2M HILL, in California and was with them for about nine years as a Project Manager. He was involved in a variety of projects, from transportation projects to wastewater reclamation plants to port and marine projects. He then worked for four years at the Port of San Diego and was their Manager of Maritime Engineering and Construction. Raul was responsible for the development of all bay and coastal development which included marinas, container wharves, cruise ship terminals and downtown development. He then moved his family to Arizona and for the last two years worked for the City of Mesa as their Deputy Engineer/Director of Engineering Design where he was responsible for the initiation and design of all projects in the City's Capital Improvement Program. Raul lives in Goodyear with his wife Tricia and two sons, Samuel and Isaiah.