Peter Vavaroutsos, Associate
The Graham Roy Mentorship Award is given annually to a member of the company who best exemplifies the ideal image of a mentor. The award may be given to an individual who has established a record of consistent outreach to individuals in the field, including coworkers, interns, peer groups, professional affiliations, or students. This award can also be received by an individual who has contributed to the support or development of mentoring programs within the company or in the community. Graham Roy Award recipients offer guidance and foster development amongst professionals.
Who Was Graham Roy?
Graham Roy joined RLB in 1995 as a cost manager in our Honolulu office and quickly established himself as a leader in the firm. Graham relocated to Oregon to manage our Portland office, which became a significant office catapulting success in North America. Graham’s knowledge, hard work, and dedication made him highly respected among clients and colleagues and led to his appointment as a director.
Over the years, Graham Roy was a mentor, colleague, and friend to many at RLB. His influence within the firm left a tremendously positive impact on those who worked with him. We honor his memory with the Mentorship Award because Graham was passionate in his commitment to mentor. He felt strongly about ensuring those around him received the guidance to succeed in their careers.
This Year’s Graham Roy Award Recipient
The year’s deserving winner is Peter Vavaroutsos of the Toronto office. Peter was nominated by a number of colleagues. In their nominations, they wrote:
Peter is mentoring one of my co-workers (David Ingram) here in the Portland office. David reports that Peter is very helpful and encouraging to him. They spend a full hour every week discussing whatever David is curious about, from construction methods to MEP questions. Peter has established himself as a trusted peer advisor to what I consider to be a very important young man.
Sal Martinez, Portland, OR
Peter has become an invaluable resource to me since we got paired up in the RLB Mentorship…. When I think about the type of colleague and leader I want to be when I’m older, Peter exactly resembles someone I strive to become. He is extremely professional, overwhelmingly friendly, super positive, a great listener, and willing to do whatever it takes to help others, even at his own risk or productivity. He is very knowledgeable and very approachable, yet critical when he needs to be.
David Ingham, Portland, OR
Peter provides space and autonomy for growth. He always looking for teaching opportunities and seeks out junior staff to mentor and guide.
Luis Acevedo, Toronto, ON
At RLB, we invest in the success of our employees and work to create a supportive culture that allows for professional growth and development. It is team members and future leaders like Peter that allow us to do this. His award is well deserved.