APWA announces 2013 Top Ten Public Works Leaders

KANSAS CITY, MO. — Marking the 53rd anniversary of the award, the American Public Works Association (APWA) announced the Top Ten Public Works Leaders of 2013. Awardees receive one of the most coveted and prestigious awards presented by APWA. This year’s Top Ten list includes a street transportation director/city engineer, several directors of public works, an assistant city manager, and a president of an engineering company, each who represent the best of the public works profession.

“APWA is proud to honor the Top Ten Public Works Leaders, who will be honored locally as part of APWA’s annual National Public Works Week celebrations from May 19-25, 2013,” said APWA Executive Director, Peter B. King. “The Top Ten Leaders are exceptional public works professionals who have been selected by a committee of peers for their career-long professionalism, expertise, service and personal dedication to improving the quality of life in the communities they serve. They are all to be highly commended, and are extremely worthy of this honor.”

Award recipients include:
• Wylie Bearup, P.E., Ph.D., street transportation director/city engineer, City of Phoenix;
• Julia Bueren, public works director, Contra Costa County, Calif.;
• Christopher B. Burke, Ph.D., P.W., D.WRE, F.ASCE, president, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Rosemont, Ill.;
• John Edlebeck, P.E., director of public works/city engineer, City of Waupaca, Wis.;
• Melissa Gentry, P.E., MBA., assistant city manager for operations, City of Columbia, S.C.;
• William Hadley, public works director, Town of Lexington, Mass.;
• Donald Jacobovitz, P.E., PWLF, public works director, Putnam County, Fla.;
• Howard Lazarus, P.E., PWLF., director of public works, City of Austin, Texas;
• Thomas Montgomery, public works director, City of Hastings, Minn.; and
• Allen Persons, director of public works, Village of Plainfield, Ill.

The Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year program seeks to inspire excellence and dedication in public service by recognizing the outstanding career service achievements of individual public works professionals and officials, from both the public and private sectors. The primary focus of the award is on career service to the public works profession rather than on any one single event or project.

For more information on the Top Ten Public Works Leaders awards, visit the APWA Top Ten Awards section online at www2.apwa.net/About/Awards/2013Awards.