BY TRACY LEE TATE
Times Staff Writer
It’s rather obvious that Randy Salle is popular at the Union County School District Transportation Department as he has been named School-Related Employee of the Year for that department three times.
At 62, Salle has worked in a variety of areas in his life.
He served in the military from 1979-84 as part of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Infantry at Fort Bragg, where said he was “paid to jump out of airplanes.” Of his military service, he said he particularly enjoyed his off-base training, both in Alaska and Panama.
After serving his country, Salle ended up in Spokane, Washington, and then made the move to Florida in 1986. His wife, Donna, was born and raised in Union County and wanted to come home. He worked as a correctional officer at UCI for 26 years, from 1986-2011, retiring as a lieutenant. He started out his retirement well enough, spending time with family and woodworking but he said he got bored and decided to go to work again. He came to the Union County Bus Garage in 2017 and said it was the right move – he said he loves working for his boss, Tony Raish, and enjoys the company of all his coworkers.
Salle had not worked as a mechanic before but learned on the job. He now holds the position of shop foreman. Salle’s main job is to perform regular maintenance on the buses in the Union County fleet. Diagnostics and major repairs are outsourced as the expense of many of the tools and analyzers would be a major expense to the district. Salle also serves as a bus driver when there is a need.
Salle has been married to Donna for 23 years and the couple have five grown children. These five have given the Salle’s 15 grandchildren, which both enjoy spending time with.
The Salles’ also have a passion for travel and have visited every state in the Union except West Virginia (but it’s on the list, Salle said). For many years they traveled by car but have recently acquired a motorhome and are looking forward to traveling in it.
Salle said he does not get to go very often, but he enjoys any type of saltwater fishing, and especially likes charter fishing trips. Most of his free time is spent with his grandchildren, “a few at a time,” doing “grandpa stuff.”
Salle said he is glad he came to Florida and plans on staying. He was voted as Transportation SRE of the Year in 2020 and 2022 and, recently, for a third time in 2023.
“It feels really good to be selected,” Salle said. “It is nice to have your co-workers think enough of you to vote for you. It’s an honor.”
Salle said he is constantly amazed by the school district of which he is a part.
“I really enjoy the fact that everyone in the community pulls together for the schools,” Salle said. “There is incredible support for the superintendent from both the community and the district and Mr. Ripplinger pays close attention to our department, always seeing we have what we need to do our jobs. It makes the job easier and more pleasant to do.”
London, Paris, Switzerland, Italy
Union County students in any grade are invited to travel to Europe as part of a trip being planned for 2024. Parents are invited to participate. An organizational meeting will be held on Thursday, March 9, at 6 p.m. in the Union County High School library.
