Pat Runyan (BA Geology, 1975)

As a "local kid" I grew up in the Kittitas Valley. (Naneum Creek) I graduated with my BA in Geology with the class of 1975. I studied under professors Bentley, Ringe and Higgins.

In 1976 I was offered the position of "Exploration Geologist I" with Cites Service Co. (Now CITCO - oil exploration). This position required one year of company training in Oklahoma and a 5-year commitment to live and work in Saudi Arabia. The employment contract stipulated "single persons only". I was engaged to be married the following year...so...as they say, "the rest is history". I chose love over the nomadic life of an oil hunter...with no regrets I might add!

For the past 40+ years I have been blessed to work and raise a beautiful family in the Spokane area. For most of the past four decades I have operated as a General Contractor, specializing in commercial construction. I am currently a General Manager with Huntwood Industries located in Liberty Lake, Washington.

My love of structural geology was instilled in me at CWU. It was, and remains, one of the most fulfilling and positive experiences of my life.

UPDATE: Current: General Manager, Huntwood Industries, Liberty Lake, WA Future: Still enjoy working - but looking ahead to more time with friends and family