Indiana, PA – At a ceremony in Harrisburg today, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll today recognized 31 PennDOT employees for their outstanding performance with the Star of Excellence Award, PennDOT's highest recognition. Two employees from PennDOT's District 10, which represents Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson counties were among the honorees.
"I'm continually impressed by the hard work and dedication of the PennDOT team," Secretary Carroll said. "These folks work tirelessly each day to provide safe and efficient transportation for Pennsylvania's residents."
Carroll and other department executives honored winners Matthew Burkett and Carla Studebaker during an event held at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
"Matt and Amanda are two of our incredible employees in District 10," said Brian Allen, District 10 District Executive. "Their dedication and expertise in their fields help us keep our projects and roadways safe and efficient."
Matthew Burkett of Brookville, started his career at PennDOT in 2003 as a Transportation Construction Inspector and worked his way up through the Department as Acting Assistant County Manager, Roadway Program Coordinator, County Maintenance Manager, Highway Administration Program Manager 1 and has been the Assistant District Executive Maintenance since 2020.
Through Matt's dedication and hard work, he has excelled in each of these positions, and because of his diverse background, he has become a key team member in the District, a statewide expert, and is helping provide strategic direction with PennDOT Maintenance initiatives.
Matt embraces innovation and has been instrumental in trying new equipment and products to create safer working conditions.
As the District Utility Administrator, Carla Studebaker of Punxsutawney is vital in keeping projects on schedule and avoiding delays in delivery to save money. Carla has built positive relationships with the utility companies in the District, and because of this she is often able to achieve satisfactory resolution of conflicts that arise on construction projects when time is critical and the District could face delay costs.
Carla is recognized for her dedication, and extensive knowledge of all aspects of the operation of her Utility Unit. She has been asked to participate on statewide efforts to develop, improve, and implement policies and procedures because of her expertise.
The Star of Excellence Awards are presented annually to employees who represent the department's values of service, performance, and integrity. The recipients represent a variety of organizational positions, spanning from highway maintenance and driver and vehicle services workers, to traffic control specialists, communications staff and design and engineering specialists.
For more information on PennDOT activities in Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson counties visit our website at www.penndot.pa.gov/District10.
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