Ryan Ceniga

I’m a Homegrown, Blue Collar Dad with Deep Roots in Western Lane County

I was raised in Junction City from the age of five. My parents have been happily married for almost 50 years. I have three brothers and one sister, who all continue to reside in our community, raising their families. I learned about community service from my dad and grandpa. My grandpa was a superintendent for Lebanon Schools and was a Lions member for as long as I can remember. My Dad was on the Junction City school board and was very involved in many other school and sports committees. Helping our communities has always been a huge priority within my family.

As your West Lane County Commissioner, I will be Loyal to Our Rural Communities

 

Career

My work career has been predominately in construction for the majority of the last two decades. I was in erosion control with Anderson Erosion Control and learned a lot about the ins and outs of government work. I then went to work for Junction City in the public works department; this led to my transfer to EWEB. I really enjoy working with the public at EWEB as there is always a problem that needs attention, and the result needs to be a satisfied customer.

Family

I married my high school sweetheart, and we just celebrated our 20-year anniversary this October. My wife (Brandi) works as a Dental Hygienist in Junction City, and we have two beautiful daughters. Faye is a sophomore and Emme is in the 7th grade, both girls in the Junction City School District. I have enjoyed coaching our girls through sports and have now turned that over to the school athletic programs. As much fun as I had coaching, the relationships I have built with the community over those 10-12 years is immeasurable. Taking your kids to school, and having kids say, "Hi coach!" is a true joy! I also enjoy when parents reach out to you years later about the impact you made on their kids. It is truly gratifying. 

Community Service

My community service started when I was coaching my daughters in sports and recognized the need for more volunteers and organizations for athletics. I started helping with coaching tryouts and team picks to make the teams more equal. The experience opened the door for providing older students with the opportunity to referee games and make some money in their community. I then joined the Junction City Athletics (JCA) board. We at JCA found some fantastic volunteers to start helping with these tasks, and as my daughters grew out of JCA, 

With extra time on my hands, I decided to follow in my grandpa's footsteps and join the Lions Club. I have great memories of attending many meetings with him as a kid (we had to before we could go golfing). I always thought it was fun how much they would joke and poke fun at each other, all while helping people in need. I would make trips to the Strawberry Festival to help run the burger and fry booth. One day I asked, "Who were the main benefactors of all the money we raised from the festival?" I will never forget how proud and honored they were to share the values the Lions Club stood for. I am currently an active member of the JC Lion's Club; previously, I served as Vice President and a planning committee member.

Education

I graduated from Junction City in 1997. I was the president of the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA) during my Junior and Senior years and was also a member of 4H/FFA. My senior year, I took our VICA club to the State competition, where we came in first place in Oregon. We ended up competing with a couple of colleges in a very advanced course to see where our limits were. It was fun, and we held our own while also catching the attention of a couple of schools. 

I was offered a 2-year scholarship to Arizona Automotive Institute, after lots of thought I packed up and headed South for Glendale, Az. I got my Associates's degree in Diesel Technology earning student honors. I came right back to Oregon after graduating, Arizona was a great experience, but I was born with webbed feet and ready for the seasons I missed.