When people talk about retiring, Stetson Public Safety Chief Bob Matusick likes to counsel them to make sure they have a plan for what they’ll do afterward.

In 2008, after 30 years with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, he retired as a captain overseeing 100 investigators handling major crimes. He was “involved in everything” from the moment he woke up until the moment he put his head back on the pillow, he said.

“Then in the end of February, beginning of March in 2008, I went from everything to waking up to nothing. While it was nice for the first couple of weeks, like being on a vacation, after that, it started to weigh on my sanity a little bit,” he said with a laugh.

His wife Leigh saw an ad looking for a chief of Public Safety at Stetson University and encouraged him to apply.

“I’ve counseled a lot of people that were in my position since, saying, look, when you get close to retirement and you start planning your retirement, you have to have a plan after retirement. You can’t just flip the switch off and that’s it,” he said.

This time, Matusick has a plan.

Friday, June 1, will be his last day before retiring after 10 years as director of Stetson Public Safety and Emergency Management. The following week, when Francisco Ortiz takes over as chief, Matusick and his wife will be driving their motorhome to Pennsylvania Amish Country with their 7-year-old grandson.

“The good news is I won’t be checking my phone every 10 minutes to see if I have a new email or text message,” he joked. “I’m getting out of this work while I’m still young enough to go travel. In my line of work, over 40 years I’ve seen people wait too long and they’re not capable of doing the things they’ve wanted to do.”

He has places to visit on his bucket list: The Grand Canyon, the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore, and Canada. His wife Leigh, a DeLand City Commissioner since 2005, will finish her last term on the Commission this fall, giving her more time to travel, too, he said.

Matusick has built a professional staff in Public Safety during his time at Stetson and will be missed, said Lua R. Hancock, vice president of Campus Life and Student Success.

“I am excited for Bob, his wife Leigh and their next adventure full of travel and family,” said Hancock, who oversees the Office of Public Safety. “While this will be a significant loss for our community, we have all been honored to work with a colleague who brings extensive knowledge paired with such a big heart!  Bob cares deeply about this community and has built a wonderful team of professionals who serve Stetson every day.”     

The City Commission has proclaimed June 1, 2018, as Robert Matusick Day in honor of his years of service to the community. During his 10 years at Stetson, Matusick developed policies and procedures for Stetson Public Safety and instituted an Emergency Management Plan, which works in cooperation with the DeLand Police Department, the city of DeLand and Volusia County Emergency Management, according to the City Proclamation.

“I think I’ve made a good impact with Public Safety,” Matusick said. “I think we’ve done a good job trying to make this a professional organization. When I started here, my goal was to make this a turnkey operation and I think I’ve done a fairly good job.”

Matusick said he’s seen many positive changes at Stetson through the years.

“Wendy Libby has come in and done a remarkable job with the university,” he said. “Her ability to move the ball forward, it’s been remarkable, the improvements she’s made and her vision. In my short 10 years here, with a university that’s over 100 years old, I’ve seen this place improve by leaps and bounds. Who knows what next year or the following year will bring, with this $18 million gift from the Browns (for a new science building). It’s exciting the direction that we’re going.”

When he isn’t traveling, Matusick plans to volunteer at Stetson and stay involved.

“Stetson will always be home. And I’ve told those who care to listen to me that I’ll be back. Who knows, maybe when the students are coming back for the beginning of next year, I might be here volunteering and saying, ‘Can I help you get your stuff in your room?’ … That’s my goal. I don’t want to overstay my welcome, but I do want to help.”