Page 104 - Martin Marietta - 2024 Sustainability Report

EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING

Fernando Romero Jr.—Southwest Division Katherine Tifft—Southwest Division
Parents: Betsy and Fernando Romero, weighmaster at the Parents: Misty and Kale Tifft, plant manager at Sulphur
Genoa Yard Springs Ready Mix
Hometown: Houston, Texas Hometown: Sulphur Springs, Texas
School: University of Houston School: Tarleton State University
Current Major: Computer Engineering & Analytics Current Major: Psychology
Future Career Goal: Data analytics and computer Future Career Goal: Addiction psychiatry
engineering Silver Linings: After a tornado struck Katherine’s high
To Infinity and Beyond: Fernando was placed in his high school, she felt dread and loss going into her senior year.
school’s aerospace class as a junior and quickly discovered Instead of moving toward despair, she persevered and
he had a love for space engineering. Diving right into the looked to better times ahead. With the help of neighboring
subject matter, Fernando took to learning rocketry schools and the community, Katherine and her classmates
fundamentals on his own time and worked with a team to were able to thrive in their final year. Through this
construct a rocket that would go one mile into the sky experience, she learned the value of resilience, grace,
while carrying a 1-pound payload. The successful launch gratitude and determination in times of heartache and
inspired Fernando to pursue engineering as a career. destruction.

Fernando Romero Jr.

Katherine Tifft

102 2024 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT