By Zach Newcome
Staff Writer
Vito Czyz, former Director of Safety and Security, took a new job as the emergency coordinator at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) over the semester break and will be leaving St. Bonaventure.
In a press release regarding Czyz’s new job, Rick Trietley, Vice-President of Student Affairs, said he appreciated Czyz’s hard work, leadership, and determination to keep the St. Bonaventure community safe.
The West Valley Demonstration Project, founded in 1980, oversees the safe disposal of hazardous materials.
Czyz’s upcoming position will include a variety of tasks.
“I will provide emergency management support for West Valley Demonstration Project by maintaining Emergency Management Program physical facilities, equipment, and procedures for the Emergency Response Organization (ERO); coordinating both on-site and off-site inventory of equipment and supplies, providing emergency response training, and monitoring training effectiveness through the facilitation of regularly scheduled emergency drills and exercises,” Czyz said.
The position of director of Safety and Security will remain vacant until late February or early March, because interviews need to be held.
Ralph Aloia, St. Bonaventure fire and safety officer, will be the interim director of Safety and Security.
“My position right now is to carry on a combination of both positions and continue to improve where Vito has helped set a path to the future,” Aloia said.
Aloia and Czyz worked together for the past five years.
“Vito and I worked very closely within the Safety and Security team on a daily basis, with, of course, Rick Trietley, the team leader. We all share many of the same regards and views on keeping SBU as safe as possible with as much of an open campus atmosphere for students and the community,” Aloia said.
“In the short five years Vito was with us he has made a lasting imprint. We now have a family member for life. Vito Czyz will be sorely missed, a great spirit and a brilliant man,” Aloia said.
Upon leaving Czyz said, “I have immensely enjoyed my five years at SBU, thank you! I can truly say that I had an extraordinary experience in many ways. I will miss the faculty, staff and especially all the students that I have had the pleasure to work with.”
