EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County Engineer Mark Gvillo will soon be driving into retirement.

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Gvillo is set to retire Nov. 25, after serving 39 years with the Highway Department.

“Mark is going to be missed,” Chairman Kurt Prenzler said. “He’s done a lot of good work for the county and he takes with him a lot of knowledge.”

Prenzler said Gvillo built a strong staff around him, explaining he travels county highways and the roads are always safe no matter if it's the winter or summer.

As county engineer, Gvillo oversaw 192 miles of roads and hundreds of bridges. Gvillo began his career with the county in 1977 as summer help while attending the University of Missouri in Rolla.

In 1982, the county hired him full time as an engineer to design and construct road and bridge projects. In 1994, he received a promotion to construction engineer.

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Over the years, Gvillo was involved in not only project development reconstruction, paving and resurfacing but in operations and maintenance, which includes snowplowing, pothole filling, grading, signage, trash, grass cutting, painting lines, etc.

In 2005, he became the county assistant engineer and in 2013, he took the top spot following the retirement of Gary Stahlhut

The most challenging part of the job, Gvillo said, has been balancing the needs of the county and its residents.

“I am going to miss the people I work with and the satisfaction of helping maintain one of the best county highway systems in the state,” Gvillo said.

Gvillo said he is looking forward to retirement so he can enjoy not working five days a week, 52 weeks a year. The county’s assistant engineer, Greg Schuette, will serve as the interim engineer.

County Board member and Transportation Committee chair Tom McRae said it’s been a pleasure serving with Gvillo.

“Mark is a true public servant and is always looking out for the best interest of the county and the constituents to make roads the best and safest they could be,” McRae said. “He’s taught me a lot and I’m going to miss working with him.”

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