Mitch Lahouti
recalls a former general manager saying the reason many Metropolitan employees encourage their children to consider working here is because they want what’s best for their kids.
That is true for the civil engineer who has worked on many of the district’s biggest infrastructure projects over his 28-year career. For years,
Mitch
urged his daughter to apply for jobs. “It took a long time, but I never gave up,” said
Zary Lahouti
who is now an Administrative Assistant II in Engineering Services.
Even before getting her job, Metropolitan was a big a part of
Zary’s
life. She tagged along to company picnics, sporting events and elegant Christmas parties that were held many years ago. “We worked all year to raise money for the holiday event,”
Mitch
recalls. “It was a special evening” and
Zary
recalls “getting her hair permed and dressing up for the event.”
Mitch
was born in Iran and attended college in Texas. After graduating, he returned to Iran for a few years, but came back to the U.S. during the revolution and eventually found his way to California. Since then, he’s earned a master’s degrees in civil engineering, environmental engineering and business management administration - and admiration from his colleagues for his expert skills in design engineering.
Zary
worked in sales – selling everything from motorcycle parts to medical equipment – and was an advertising executive for magazines before coming to Met in 2018.
Mitch
plans to retire at the end of 2019 and will travel and may teach. “I’m proud that I’ll be living my father’s legacy here at Metropolitan,”
Zary
says. “It will be hard to watch him retire but it is my turn to carry the torch.”