Despite his hectic schedule at the U., Robles fit in time to play intramural sports and even spent a season on the university's soccer team — no small achievement for the now-43-year-old. Heritage, he said, accounts for his athletic abilities.

"I'm from South America, and the first present you give to children (there) is a soccer ball," he said. "We Hispanic people, we play soccer a lot and even when you are inside the womb of your mom, you start to kick. That's where you learn to play."

The sport is obviously a passion for Robles, who prominently displayed a photo of his son's soccer team, which he coached, on his Eagle Mountain office wall.

"Let me tell you," he said, "we didn't lose any games."

In May 2004, Robles graduated with a bachelor's degree in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Utah and has since worked for Bluffdale, Eagle Mountain and Herriman cities. Each time he left a job, the other city workers seemed sad to see the good-natured Peruvian go.

"He was always coming to me and asking for things he could help me with," said Chris Trusty, city engineer for Eagle Mountain and Robles' former boss. "He stayed ahead of the game."

After seven years in the states, Robles said he has come to love America — despite Utah's cold winter weather. He and his wife try to reinforce cultural traditions at home, though, for their three children.

"The rule is we have to speak Spanish at home," he said. "(The children) complain a lot, but they are pretty much bilingual."

Moving to the United States has been a positive thing for the family, said Robles, who has seen other families fall apart after relocating to another country.

"We had some trials; we had some challenges," he said. "But I think we faced those properly, and we are together and now we are stronger."

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E-mail: rwestenskow@desnews.com