After nearly 32 years working at the University of Houston, Regina Richmond is saying her goodbyes.
Richmond is retiring from her role as executive administrative assistant for Dr. Dennis Fouty, associate vice chancellor/vice president and chief information officer for University Information Technology. Her last day was June 30. It was difficult to walk out the door, but she had a really big reason to move on: her tiny 3-month-old granddaughter, Tristen.
"When my oldest son got married, I told him that if they had a child and I was ready and able to do so, that I would take care of the baby," she said. "So that is what I am going to do."
It was November of 1982 when Richmond received a call from a friend who already worked at UH asking her if she wanted to do some temporary administrative work for the Board of Regents Office. Four months later, she got the job full-time and stayed in it for the next 12 years. After that, she held administrative assistant positions in the Chancellor's office, the Planning and Analysis office and Information Technology before moving to her current role in 2000.
She loves her job and said she will miss it.
"The atmosphere and the people who I work with are great. I love working with Dr. Fouty. I couldn't ask for a better supervisor," she said. "I always tell people that I am his administrative mother."
Richmond, who grew up in Houston and now lives in Pearland, has three grown children. Besides her granddaughter, she also has a 5-year-old grandson named Andre. She isn't the only member of her family who has worked at UH. Two of her four sisters came to work here after she did, but have long since moved on.
In the three decades Richmond has worked for UH, the campus has changed and grown considerably. One of her sisters who had once worked here came back recently for an event and couldn't believe how much it has changed.
"She called and told me, ‘Where am I? I don't even recognize this place,'" she said.
Her retirement means she'll also have more time to do two things she loves: reading and bowling. She's bowled a 300 game more than once and played on several bowling teams here on campus.
As she gets settled down in her retirement, she hasn't ruled out the possibility of returning to campus and working a part-time position. But in the meantime, she's really looking forward to spending quality time with her young granddaughter.