Employee of the Year 2007

Transit "Employee of the Year" Honored, Safety Recognized

Office Manager and Clerk to the Board Mary Elizabeth Bower was named Clallam Transit System’s “Employee of the Year” for 2007 by General Manager Terry Weed during the system’s annual awards ceremony on March 9 in Port Angeles. Weed made his selection from 12 employees nominated by their coworkers for outstanding performance. Weed stated Bower is the ultimate professional. Tireless, thorough, compassionate, informed, and always cheerful. A true public servant. Bower coordinates administration department work activities, manages the majority of the system’s marketing effort, facilitates meetings and training travel for staff, and handles all of the responsibilities as Clerk to the Board. Weed added Bower does all this within the team concept and with a caring smile, often times with a personal touch.

Other nominees included Transit Operators Harry Hebert, Scott Gossard, Chris Johnston, Joe Sutton, Dan Kauffman, and Bill Franklin; Transit Operator/Dispatcher Bob Eash; Operations Supervisor Bob Barber; Finance Administrator Jamie Collier; Administrative and Payroll Assistant Alyeen Carlson, and Custodian Chuck Newman. Weed noted all the nominees were outstanding employees. He said in addition to the individual employees nominated, one employee nominated the entire “CTS Employees Group!”

Operations Manager Frank Poulsen recognized six drivers for perfect attendance during 2007. They were Frank Carpenter, Jack Durrwachter, Bob Eash, Bruce Monro, Steve Waugaman, and Woody Woodruff. Commendation certificates for continuous years of safe driving were presented to: Al Crampton-25 years; Linda Bell, Bill Franklin, and Jack Jester-24 years; Al Brown-21 years; Bruce Monro and Don Wilson-20 years; Pete Christensen and Anita Campbell-15 years; Dan Kauffman-11 years; Bob Kuhn-9 years; Bob Eash and Jimmie Richmond-7 years; Dave Rice-5 years; Scott Gossard and Joe Sutton-4 years; and Steve Waugaman, Frank Carpenter, David Larrabee, Michelle Hoban, and Woody Woodrufft-1 year. Operations Supervisor Nancy Vivolo was presented with the system’s Safety Committee “Choice Award” for submitting the best safety suggestion for year 2007.

Maintenance Manager Kevin Gallacci commended his entire department for completing the 2007 calendar year without a single preventable occupational injury or accident, a perfect safety record! He pointed out Clallam Transit has many procedures in place to promote a safe work environment but it is up to the employees to follow through as obviously they do and very well. Each of the employees listed received a monetary award for their achievements. Gallacci recognized Marilyn Aldrich and Terry Donovan for completing their first year with no accident or injury, Robert Sanders and Casey Rudd for completing seven consecutive years without any accidents or injury, two perfect safety records, Gary Abrams, Jr. for completing a total of 11 years without accident or injury, John Biasotti for completing a total of 12 years without accident or injury, Mark Severs for completing a total of 14 years without accident or injury, Leo Hansen with a perfect safety record of 15 consecutive years without a preventable accident or injury, John Hamrick for completing a total of 16 years without accident or injury, Larry Latson with a perfect safety record of 20 consecutive years without a preventable accident or injury, and Donald Perkon for completing a total of 24 years without accident or injury. Awarded for perfect attendance were employees Leo Hansen, Terry Donovan, Marilyn Aldrich, and Mark Severs. Gallacci also mentioned Chuck Newman and Rusty Buckmaster as relatively new employees hired early in 2007, they too had completed the year without a preventable accident or injury but did not qualify for an award at this time due to not being active employees for the entire 2007 calendar year.

The system’s Employees’ Association Board of Directors announced Transit Operator Harry Hebert had been selected as the recipient of the 2007 “Cliff Pavlak Memorial Recognition Award”.

CTS Board Chairman Gary Braun, City of Port Angeles Mayor, provided welcome remarks at the beginning of the evening’s event.