After putting in almost four decades with North Santiam Paving Co., Bill Lulay announced his upcoming retirement.
“It’s rare for someone to have been blessed with all the opportunities in construction and engineering/surveying that I have enjoyed throughout the years,” said Lulay, who called NSP “a great place to work.”
Lulay graduated from Regis High School in 1969 and four years later, earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Oregon State University. During and after college, he worked in the woods running dozer, dump trucks and setting chokes.
His work history includes the Oregon Department of Transportation, a Wenatchee, Washington engineering/construction firm that was building a second powerhouse and fish ladder on the Columbia River, and a small engineering firm in Salem.
By 1978, he earned his Professional Engineer stamp and a year later, his Profession Land Surveyor stamp.
During the recession in 1983, he met with NSP owner Ralph Bochsler, now deceased, to inquire about openings.
“It didn’t matter to me at that time if I was running equipment, driving trucks, surveying, engineering or digging ditches,” Lulay said in his farewell letter to the Stayton-based company.
“I was still young and foolish, and any job would be just fine with me! As the old saying goes, ‘the rest is history.’”
Since Lulay was a licensed engineer and surveyor, NSP began pursuing “design build” projects. The in-house, design-build approach provided clients with the most cost-effective means to reduce redundancy, eliminate discrepancies and avoid most conflicts in construction projects, Lulay said.
After 37 years, Lulay believed the time had come to “turn over the reins to the next generation.”
“It is my intent [to] ‘turn in my keys’ at the end of 2020,” Lulay said. “I’ve been trying to semi-retire since May 1 but doing a poor job of that.”
Lulay said he is leaving his job in the good hands of professional land surveyor Michael Downs and Levi Warner, who will have his professional engineering license in October.
After retiring, Lulay plans to “charge ahead on more personal pursuits.”
“My wife Julie and I would like to help with some of the local charities, people in need and church-related activities,” he said. “Not being pressed to keep up on things around the house and yard is also a good thing.”
Lulay said he has a great shop for small projects and tinkering, and he and his wife both like to camp and fish “more than just weekends.”
Lulay thinks of himself as a thankful person who appreciates the many blessings that have come his way.
“It is enjoyable and rewarding to give compliments and help people feel good about themselves,” he said.
Lulay said he has lost a lot of special people in his life, making him a lot more aware of appreciating “what you have while you have it, because it isn’t promised to you tomorrow.”
“Life is good!” he added.
