In 2019, my son, my wife and I tackled a full gut renovation of a 1940s modified Cape Code in Kingston, RI. The project took us about eight months to complete. We did most of the work ourselves but had a contractors who did the windows, window trim, electrical work, some minor structural repairs and the floor sanding.
The house needed everything from new lolly columns in the basement to a new roof. But it was worth it. This is no cookie-cutter modern box. The sheathing is one-inch oak planks apparently milled on site. The joists and rafters are a mix of oak and fir. The foundation is field stone and split ledge stacked on a concrete slab. In the attic, the house was signed by the three generations of the family that built it with their own hands. It was nice to be able to add the names of the the three renovators to the list.
I'm Rob Zarnetske, a decorated and forward-thinking leader with 27+ years of experience in public service, government administration, public policy development, and implementation. I'm a dedicated and community-driven professional who knows that excellent public service is only possible when public servants focus on the needs and well being of the people.
I've been lucky enough to build a career solving problems for real people using the leadership skills, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities I've developed along the way to promote a culture of inclusion, transparency & self-accountability.
As a professional, I like to think I possess the exceptional ability to quickly and correctly assess problems from both a strategic legal and business perspective to bring pragmatic solutions to complex civil issues. Throughout my career, I have a proven record of accomplishments at every level of government. My achievements are underpinned by three pillars: leadership, management, and innovation.
As a person, I am passionate about strengthening public institutions and civil society. I've become highly skilled at influencing behavior at all levels to improve civil performance and realize strategic goals. I build organizations like I build stone walls (the one on the home page is one of mine -- the star too). Success comes, not by forcing the stones; it comes by carefully looking to see what fits and then making the match.