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Delano Palmer accepted a job at Central Washington University (CWU) because both his wife and his kids were looking for life change to recentralize a focus on family. Palmer readily admits that during more than twelve years at The Haskell Company (a role he loved), his family had gotten the short end of the stick.
“I was missing key events and holidays,” Palmer remembers. “I spent too much time working on vacations, and my wife and kids brought it up multiple times. I didn’t want to be one of those guys who lost everything because they lost sight of what really matters.”
An active member of Ellensburg
Transition in life promotes opportunity for involvement. The director of planning and projects at Central Washington University is an active member of his community in Ellensburg, Washington. Palmer is on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity, is a member of the Ellensburg Morning Rotary Foundation, and holds a seat on Ellensburg’s City Council.
“I didn’t always have the bandwidth to be involved in my community,” Delano says. “Moving into public sector work, I’ve found a better work-life balance. That gives me the opportunity to be a bigger part of my wife’s and children’s lives as well as an active member of Ellensburg.”
Transitioning to the public sector proved transformative for Palmer, who was promoted to director of capital planning at CWU just a year into his tenure. And while work-life balance may be much more achievable in his job, that hasn’t stopped Palmer and his team from tackling some herculean projects at the university, such as using groundbreaking geothermal technology to tackle decarbonization efforts.
One of CWU’s standout achievements is the $60 million new Health Sciences building. The 80,000-square-foot build houses labs and classrooms for students and faculty studying physiology, paramedicine, exercise science, public health, food science, and nutrition. The LEED-Gold-certified building is a welcome addition to the university’s science neighborhood.
A behind-the-scenes success of the project was developing clear design and construction standards for Palmer’s capital planning team—a point of deficiency in the past.

“We wanted standards we could give to engineers and designers to let people know exactly what we expect and certain areas where we are not willing to deviate from our standards,” Palmer explains. “We made them part of our contracts moving forward.”
Palmer also oversaw the extensive renovation of campus landmark Nicholson Pavilion, which was substantially completed in 2023. The facility, connected to adjacent Dorothy Purser Hall to create a more unified facade, now hosts academic programs, graduation ceremonies, dances, and other events outside its normal sports purview.
There are also big plans on the horizon. The development of CWU’s North Academic Complex entails a new 108,000-square-foot building that features a heating and cooling system powered by an open-loop ground source heat pump system drawing from one of the Ellensburg Aquifers.

“The way the building will be centered around our park area is going to provide exactly what it sounds like: a Central Park feeling that will be twice the size of what it is currently,” Palmer says. “The buildings that we’re demolishing were the gateway for our incoming freshman, and it wasn’t the ideal first collegiate experience. This new facility will be the introduction those students and this university deserve.”
First impressions aside, Palmer says the innovation shouldn’t be overlooked. The LEED-Gold-certified build and geothermal technology is giving way to more new energy options. Solar arrays and electric vehicle charging are now on the table, and Palmer says he’s happy to be part of a team that can combat climate change in their own unique ways—ways that will ultimately serve the university’s bottom line.
Palmer brings up his team and partners a lot. He lists everyone by name and virtue: the capital planning and facility management teams, the construction partners, the design partners, the previous mentors and veteran staff at CWU who Palmer says he’s able to learn so much from. Palmer trusts you, he values you, and he’s grateful for you.
The feeling is mutual. “Working alongside Delano Palmer and his team on Central Washington University’s (CWU) North Academic Complex has been a rewarding experience,” says James Welsh, Jr., president – commercial/industrial at Garco Construction. “This transformative project for CWU is just one example of how Delano’s exceptional leadership and dedication to the community will leave a lasting, positive legacy in Ellensburg and beyond.”
But Palmer is still most grateful to those people at home who demanded a change. It was for the better, and the director now has time for his wife, his kids, and his community without sacrificing his professional success.
Since 1978, Garco Construction, Inc. (Garco)has provided exceptional general contracting and construction management services for over 2,000 projects across Washington and nationwide. Recognized among Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 U.S. Contractors, Garco is known for its quality, innovation, and efficiency. With a skilled union workforce from five unions—carpenters, cement masons, ironworkers, laborers, and operators—Garco excels in self-performing critical project components. Iconic projects throughout the Pacific Northwest include the Spokane Arena, Pavilion in the Park, University District Gateway Bridge, One Spokane Stadium, Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage, and Spokane International Airport Terminal Renovation, reflecting Garco’s dedication to impactful and diverse construction endeavors.