 Ray Williams has been with the City of Columbia for 29 and a half years and Ray has truly been a pillar when it comes to parks and recreation. He started out in maintenance and went to buildings and grounds and became our events coordinator so he's been doing an amazing job for the City of Columbia. Ray has a long history with the city in which he worked his way up in the process, started out as one of our maintenance guys, went to one of our, became a grounds person, was overseeing Owens Field for a number of years to the point where he is now at retirement and I'm sure his family, his wife and his children are just elated that he's getting ready to retire and return home to his roots in Florida with this with his mom and his siblings. I think what made it easy for me was pride, taking pride in what I've done. I always thought of what I was doing before the retirement of the city as a whole not just myself or just for the department so just tell anybody just always put your best foot forward always take pride in your work and then look at it as you doing it on a whole scale of the city not just doing it because you got a job but you doing that as a whole. I'll tell you Ray sets the bar when it comes to quality and professionalism and anything that the city does he always makes everybody shine puts the best foot forward makes it a memorable occasion and he has just made such a lasting impact he has a great track record that the city's gonna have to continue to follow so I can't say anything but just wonderful remarks and kind of things about him because he is a true professional that does quality work. I mean really he's he's like I don't know how to explain it but like he's he's a great all-around person you know I have problems at work he helps me with that outside of work he's you know it's not just on the job you know he's great off the job I can you know call him with personal stuff you know gives me good financial advice so he's always there for you anytime you need him. Thank you thank you thank you. He stepped up when we had a void and the services that he provided and he was the person I looked to and did not have the second thought and putting Ray in that in that position and he's he has excelled and over excelled in what he's been able to do for the city of Columbia. And I say this on behalf of our city manager Teresa Wilson and our entire executive management team we sincerely appreciate you and we're going to miss you. I want to get back into fishing more and more regular basis I hadn't fished in a while so mainly more fishing than in a family time you know I've been here 29 years I haven't I don't have any family other than my wife so just getting back to being able to do some activities and hang with families and nieces and nephews and all.