HE IS JOINING A KC LAW FIRM
Rob Willard is resigning his position as treasurer of Platte County effective March 31. Willard said he is joining a law firm in Kansas City’s Crossroads District.
“It is an extraordinary opportunity at an unexpected time,” Willard said. “My wife is three years removed from her last cancer treatment but the aftereffects of treatment have taken a substantial toll. Both of my kids will be teenagers in two weeks. Balancing my time between doctor’s appointments, being a personal Uber driver for my kids, being the county treasurer, and maintaining a part time law practice, has all added up. I have reached a crossroads and I’ve chosen my family.”
Willard was elected county treasurer in 2012 and re-elected three times. The 12 years Willard presided over the treasurer’s office saw both a recession and the pandemic. Yet, at the same time, Willard and his staff successfully fought to restore funding for domestic violence shelters and managed an investment portfolio that broke records for interest earned.
According to state law, the county commission will name an interim county treasurer until the governor appoints a permanent replacement.
“When I walked up the steps of the courthouse 22 years ago to report on my first day as an intern in the prosecutor’s office, I could not have imagined that so much of my life would be spent on the courthouse square and so many important life events would happen while I was working in the courthouse or the administration building,” Willard reflected.
“I married the love of my life and became a father. I lost both of my parents and my older sister,” Willard said. “There are marks on the walls of my office charting my kids’ growth. I’m sure the wall will be painted over after I leave but the memories won’t be erased.”
