Staff Spotlight: Dwayne Walker

     Problem-solving has been a constant thread throughout Dwayne Walker’s life — from running his own masonry business for two decades to managing 66 parks across Asheville as a parks crew manager for the city. So when it came time for a change, it’s no surprise he landed somewhere that keeps him on his toes every single day.

     Now the Facilities Director at Ardenwoods, Dwayne has been with the community for nearly seven months, overseeing maintenance, security, environmental services and the campus as a whole. No two days look the same. “One day it could be we’re doing nothing but work orders, and the next day we’re solving complex problems,” he said.

     Late last year, he hit a fork in his career path, with a choice between taking a project management position building houses or this role at Ardenwoods. “I made the right choice,” he said. “I feel like I found my calling. The residents — just hearing every day, ‘Hey, thank you,’ for some of the simplest things — it means a lot to me. And it feels good to help, because having someone to take care of things is a big deal for a lot of them.”

     Outside of work, Dwayne is a devoted father of five, grandfather of four, and a passionate coach who has led youth leagues in basketball, softball and baseball. He enjoys working with his youngest daughter, who plays college softball, on the field whenever she’s home.

     And then there are his dogs — American bulldogs, to be specific — that Dwayne trains in the sport of weight pulling, essentially a “strongman competition” for dogs. Since 2011, he and his dogs have earned over 100 national championships in the sport. “Everybody’s like, ‘What is that?’ when I tell them,” he laughed. “When I show them videos, they can’t believe it.”