Pictured above – Tennessee Tech alumnus Roy West’s official headshot for the Tennessee Department of Treasury.
West remained at Tech following completion of his undergraduate degree in 2013
Two-time Tennessee Tech University graduate Roy West now holds a top post in Tennessee government: serving as chief of staff to State Treasurer David H. Lillard Jr.
But the Hardin County native and first-generation college graduate’s path could have easily turned out very different.
“A month after I graduated high school, my father passed away,” West recalled. “I considered not going to college. I thought I might stay and help take care of my family, but my mother pushed me to get my degree.”
West ended up enrolling at Tech on a full-tuition ROTC scholarship in the fall of 2009. While the scholarship allowed West his pick of universities, Tech’s friendly campus atmosphere and strong academic offerings sealed his decision.
“I liked the way the campus felt,” said West. “I liked the size of it. I liked the way that students were active on campus.”
Once in Cookeville, West immersed himself in campus life by participating in student government, rushing a fraternity, serving as a resident assistant and other roles.
West chose a major in political science, where he found mentors in Tech faculty like professors Lori Maxwell and Michael Gunter. He further honed his skills by participating in the Tennessee Legislative Internship Program, a paid internship at the state Legislature for which Tech selects a small handful of its best students each year.
“It exposed me to how things actually work and how government is involved in people’s lives,” said West. “I saw how important it is that people who work in government are knowledgeable and competent.”
Wanting to ensure his own knowledge and competence stayed sharp, West remained at Tech following completion of his undergraduate degree in 2013 and earned his MBA in 2015.
During those years, West worked in the office of Tech President Phil Oldham, where he got an up-close look at the inner workings of the institution he called home.
“I saw that President Oldham is a really innovative thinker,” explained West. “He was always someone willing to empower you to do your best work and get things done. He’s just a genuine person.”
After a stint working at the family business, opportunity came calling when fellow Tech alum Ashley Nabors – now the assistant treasurer for financial empowerment for the Tennessee Department of Treasury – informed West of an open position in her program area.
West joined the department in 2016 as coordinator to launch its Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program, an initiative designed to help Tennesseans with disabilities save money to pay for qualified expenses.
His success in the role led to continual promotions, from manager of pre-retirement planning to director of special projects, to director of legislative and agency affairs, culminating with a promotion to the chief of staff post in 2022.
As the State Treasurer’s right-hand aide, West now helps lead a 300-person agency that manages or oversees more than $125 billion.
“We’re a relatively small state agency in terms of personnel, but we pack a large punch,” said West. “I think that’s due to the fact that we have such highly educated individuals who are capable of taking on huge challenges.”
Among those highly educated individuals are plenty of other Tech alums. Besides fellow officers in the department like Nabors, West explains that there are Tech graduates dispersed throughout the agency, especially in the accounting division.
“The Treasury Department is a great place to work and a great place for individuals to grow,” said West. “We provide leadership opportunities, and we provide individuals with the ability to seek additional certifications. It’s something any college student interested in public service should seriously consider.”
West himself has taken advantage of the department’s support for continuing education, recently earning his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Still, he says the best part of the job is seeing the positive impact on Tennesseans.
“The Treasurer runs about 15 different programs for the state, and you get to see all the ways the office impacts citizens and families and increases the financial well-being of Tennesseans,” said West. “What we do on a daily basis has meaningful impact for others.”
Outside of his government service, West has leveraged his Tech MBA in other ways, including starting a high-performance electrolyte business called Ballast Electrolytes with fellow Tech alum Alex Martin. The company manufactures and sells zero-calorie, zero-sugar electrolytes for athletes and others looking for healthy beverage options.
As West reflects on his road to success, he says that Tech helped prepare him for where he is today.
“I really felt like, when I was at Tennessee Tech, there were so many opportunities to engage in a professional setting in a way that, once I got to the workforce, I felt truly prepared,” he concluded. “Regardless of your major, Tech has always produced high-quality graduates.”
Photo courtesy of Tech.
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