It might be said that Salvador "Tony" Cesario, highway superintendent of the town of Lenox in Madison County, was born into the position.
In 1956, Tony's father, Charles, began working for the Lenox highway department. When Tony was a child and was off from school, he enjoyed spending time with his dad at work. It was this introduction to highway department work that led Tony to follow in his father's footsteps.
And, as his father had done with him, Tony would take his son, Adam, to work with him. While in high school, Adam began working for the highway department as part of a work-study program. After graduation, he continued to work for the highway department.
Today, three generations of the Cesario family are working together continuing the legacy started by Charles 50 years ago.
"When I was a kid and my dad worked for the highway department, if I wasn't in school, he'd pick me up every day and take me to work with him and I absolutely loved it," explained Tony.
"When my son was little, still in a car seat, I'd pick him up and take him to work with me. I'd sit him over where the wingman would be. I worked both jobs, and Adam obviously loved it."
But as highway superintendent when Tony must deliver "marching orders" to his son and father, has that ever been an issue or problem?
"It's really not that big of a conflict. The bottom line is that everyone involved understands that requests made have to be followed," Tony said.
"Certainly there has been some friction, but I can't say that it's ever been anything that's gotten out of hand. Look at my father, he's been doing this for decades. He's pretty self-guided. He knows his job, and he does remind me from time to time that he knows what he's doing."
