Awards 2012
PWA’s Awards Program recognizes outstanding individuals, groups and chapters representing the best in public works. In the April issue of the APWA Reporter we announced the recipients of the Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award; in the May issue we paid tribute to the Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year; and in the July issue we covered the Public Works Projects of the Year. In this issue we announce the rest of this year’s award winners, recognizing their achievements in excellence demonstrated by their vision, passion and delivery of service to their communities.
Professional Manager of the Year Award – Administrative Management The Professional Manager of the Year Award in Administrative Management seeks to recognize outstanding achievement in the area of administration within the public works department and to inspire excellence and dedication in the public sector by recognizing the outstanding career service achievements of administrative professionals. Arden Fontaine Special Projects Coordinator Volusia County, Florida, Public Works Arden Fontaine has served as the Special Projects Coordinator for Volusia County, Fla., Public Works since 2006. He was the key 18 APWA Reporter
August 2012
staff member responsible for the successful implementation of Public Works’ Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software. He coordinated with the efficiency consultant, software vendor and County IT staff for a very fast and efficient implementation. Concurrent with this project, the County had two contracted asset collection efforts underway, one for major drainage systems and the other for roadway. Fontaine managed both of those projects to a successful completion and oversaw the loading and integration of the assets collected into CMMS and ArcGIS. Web-based applications that enable public access to data is a trend that Volusia County supports. Fontaine has embraced this concept wholeheartedly as it also is an efficiency tool from the aspect of maintaining an agency-wide data system. One of his most recent accomplishments was developing web forms and maps for public access. He viewed this as a cost savings to the County while providing the convenience for customers to access data and to submit requests for service. Last spring, Fontaine rolled out a mosquito control service request form that people could access 24/7. Within a couple of months nearly 40% of service requests were made by using this form versus the telephone.
Professional Manager of the Year Award – Engineering and Technology The Professional Manager of the Year Award in the Engineering and Technology category recognizes the outstanding career
service achievements of engineering and technology professionals. Jason Snyder, P.E. Senior Project Manager RETTEW Associates, Inc. Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Jason Snyder has served the engineering industry for eighteen years. Presently he holds the position of Senior Project Manager in the Transportation service area at RETTEW. In his role, he is responsible for setting and managing project scopes, budgets, and schedules, as well as ensuring exceptional project delivery and client satisfaction. He is also responsible for business development, client retention, marketing, studies of potential expansion into new service areas, and geographic diversity. Snyder’s career has spanned many positions and firms, always with a commitment to serving the public sector. One of Snyder’s most significant accomplishments involved his serving as project manager and design engineer for the first modern roundabout in PennDOT District 8-0. This project required significant community interaction and education prior to the redesign and realignment of a major intersection involving three state highways. Snyder’s design successfully used
