Navy Reserve Rear Admiral retires, but continues to serve Whatcom in this way
Rear Adm. Les Reardanz retired from the Navy Reserve last month after almost 32 years and multiple tours overseas. But he’s not done serving locally.
Veterans Day is Friday, Nov. 11 and it’s a good opportunity to thank those who have served, Reardanz told The Bellingham Herald in a telephone interview.
“It’s a good moment to pause and be grateful for those who are willing to sacrifice for the greater good,” Reardanz said.
Over the last two decades, he’s held a number of positions at local public agencies, including the Bellingham City Attorney’s Office and the Port of Everett.
The decorated veteran has called Whatcom County home since moving to Bellingham in 1998.
He’s currently the general manager at Whatcom Transportation Authority and plans to continue in that career for the foreseeable future. His team’s goal is to use transportation to help solve complex community problems, he told The Herald.
“What can we at WTA do to support solutions to the complex problems society faces like affordable housing, equity, environment and childcare?” Reardanz said.
All of those problems are too complex to tackle from one perspective, Reardanz told The Herald.
“It’s going to take all of us working together across government and bringing in private and nonprofit to solve those problems,” Reardanz said.
And he’s using his strategic and leadership experience in the military to help do that.
“At WTA and in the Navy, the people working there want to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Reardanz said. “But as a leader, you have to help them understand the ‘why.’”
His proudest accomplishments in both the military and his civilian career, have been seeing other people experience success who he has formerly had the opportunity to lead, Reardanz told The Herald.
“As an admiral, that’s probably been the thing I worked the hardest at those last three years,” Reardanz said.
It’s bitter-sweet to retire from the reserves, Reardanz told The Herald. He’ll mostly miss the people he worked alongside.
“It’s the camaraderie, the friendships,” Reardanz said.
When asked about what he plans to do with his free time now, he said he plans to spend time with his wife and kids.
“They sacrificed a lot over the years,” Reardanz said.
This story was originally published November 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
