Western Illinois University Announces Retirement of Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management Troy Rhoads
MACOMB/Moline, IL -– After a distinguished career spanning over two decades, Western Illinois University announces the retirement of Troy Rhoads, who has served as the assistant vice president for Facilities Management since December 1, 2021.
Rhoads began his journey with WIU as a maintenance worker in 1996, steadily progressing through various roles, showcasing his dedication and expertise in facilities management. Notably, he assumed the position of assistant vice president in December 2021, following a successful tenure as the interim assistant vice president for Facilities Management since July 2021.
Throughout his tenure, Rhoads led a team of more than 160 employees within Facilities Management, overseeing critical areas such as campus planning, design and construction, engineering, utilities, sustainability, landscaping, building and mechanical operations, transportation, steam generation plant (heating plant), central stores, Quad Cities facilities and Building Services.
Prior to his current role, Rhoads served as the executive director of Facilities Management from January 2020, following his role as interim director from June 2017 to January 2020. His extensive experience includes various positions such as stationary fireman helper, lead stationary engineer and superintendent of building maintenance.
“As we bid farewell to Troy, whose dedication and leadership have shaped the landscape of our University for the past two decades, we express our deepest gratitude. His unwavering commitment to excellence in Facilities Management has not only transformed our physical campus but has also left an indelible mark on the WIU community. We extend our warmest wishes for a well-deserved retirement and thank Troy for his efforts in creating an environment that enhances the overall educational experience for our students, faculty and staff,” WIU President Guiyou Huang said.
Prior to WIU, Rhoads served as a plant operator for the Urbana and Champaign Sanitary District and held the position of F-14 aircraft mechanic in the United States Navy.
Rhoads is a graduate of the Environmental Resources Training Center at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and received his associate degree from Illinois Central College and a bachelor’s degree from WIU in General Studies with minors in Construction and Economics.
Upon his retirement, WIU expresses gratitude for Rhoads’ exemplary service and wishes him a fulfilling and well-deserved retirement.
A reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13 on the Macomb campus in Sherman Hall Auditorium. A short program will begin at 2:30 p.m.
For more information, contact WIU Facilities Management at facilities@wiu.edu.
