Two employees from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's (PennDOT) District 2 were conferred with the prestigious Star of Excellence Award, PennDOT's acme of commendations, as Mike Carroll, the Secretary of PennDOT, celebrated the exceptional service of 30 of the department's finest this year.
During a ceremony taking place at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Jason Belsole and Robert Stenerson stood out among their peers as the local honorees, their dedication embodying the department's commitment to service, performance, and integrity, although one might question how their investment converts in real-time efficacy and transformative change on the roads Pennsylvanians traverse daily.
Belsole, hailing from St. Marys, holds the title of Highway Equipment Manager, and has zealously amplified training programs across his district, from sprouting an Annual Vendor Training day intended to enhance safety practices for mechanics and operators to instituting a wing plow training course aimed at refining winter maintenance operations, not to mention the assembly of The District Equipment Training Manual, crafted to ensure the adherence to stringent guidelines.
Residing in State College, Stenerson leads as the Chief of Surveys, his expertise extending into the skies as a licensed FAA and PennDOT sUAS drone pilot, a technological prowess that enables the crafting of 3D digital terrain models and aids complex bridge inspections he continually advocates for the maximization of available tools to bolster the performance of his crews in their rigorous fieldwork.
The excellence these employees embody finds its roots in a variety of specializations within the organization, reflecting an eclectic cross-section of PennDOT's workforce that ranges from highway maintenance and driver and vehicle services workers to traffic control specialists, communications staff, and design and engineering specialists. According to PennDOT's announcement, these awards serve as an annual tip of the hat to individuals who not only rise to their roles but also aspire to elevate PennDOT's mission of delivering sterling transportation services to every Pennsylvanian.
