Community leaders who make a difference improving public transit should be recognized and celebrated.
That’s why TRU hosts the Regional Transit Awards, which will be held this year on May 7 at the Hotel St. Regis.
In January and February, TRU offered a community-wide call for nominations of individuals and companies who have done great work to improve transit over the past year. The Regional Transit Awards team reviewed all proposed nominations and developed the following short list of nominees who will all be recognized and celebrated at the Regional Transit Award ceremony.
For the Forward Motion Award for Most Effective Public Servant, the nominees are:
- Paul Hillegonds, Chair of the Regional Transit Authority
- Brian Sadek, first Chair of the RTA’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee
- State Representative Jim Townsend
- Melanie Piana, of the Downtown Detroit Partnership and Ferndale City Council
For Transit Employee of the Year, the nominees are:
- Dejuan Brown, DDOT Bus Driver
- Dusty Fancher, lobbyist for the Michigan Public Transit Association
- Michael Ford, CEO of the Regional Transit Authority
- Cornelius Henry, of the Detroit People Mover and RTA Providers Advisory Committee
For the Unsung Hero Award, the nominees are:
- Larry Krieg, for service on the Board of AAATA, the RTA’s Citizens Advisory Committee and Michigan Association of Rai Passengers
- Reverend Louise Ott, Chair of the Metro Coalition of Congregation’s Transit Task Force and 2015 Chair of the RTA’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee
- Tim Wintermute, former Executive Director of the Hannan Foundation and founder and co-Chair of the Regional Elder Mobility Alliance
Nominees for the Rising Transit Star Award are:
- Haley Roberts, Communications Director for Metro Matters (formerly Michigan Suburbs Alliance)
- Dan Sommerville, for his work with Trans4M, Michigan Environmental Council and Friends of WALLY
- Jordan Twardy, Executive Director of the 8 Mile Boulevard Association
- Martha Valadez, Organizer for Partners for Transit
Nominees for the Exemplary Innovation Award are:
- Freshwater Transit, an innovative start-up with a fresh perspective on what transit could and should look like in Detroit
- PEAC, which enables young people with disabilities to be independent and active by teaching them to ride bikes and ride the bus
- Skillman Foundation, for funding the Detroit Bus Company to transport children to after school activities
- SKOOT , a company that provides door-to-door advance-reservation shuttle service between Detroit Metro Airport and area hotels
At the Regional Transit Awards dinner, Special Recognition will also be given to James Robertson and the Detroit Free Press for drawing nationwide attention and putting a public face on our region’s transit crisis.
An independent panel of judges from throughout the region will select the winner in each category from the short list of nominees for the coveted Regional Transit Award trophy, to be unveiled at the Awards ceremony.
Visit www.DetroitTransit.org/AwardShow to learn more about the 2015 Regional Transit Awards, including purchasing tickets and sponsorships.