Clearfield, PA – At a ceremony today, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll recognized 30 PennDOT employees for their outstanding performance with the Star of Excellence Award, PennDOT’s highest recognition. Two employees from PennDOT’s District 2, which represents Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties, were among the honorees.
“Every day, I am reminded of our employees’ dedication, their excellent customer service, and in many cases, their sacrifices,” said Carroll. “The accomplishments of our Stars of Excellence exemplify PennDOT’s mission to provide the very best transportation services to Pennsylvanians every day.
Local winners James Pilosky and Jason Tyler were honored this afternoon at an awards luncheon at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg.
James Pilosky, a Grassflat resident, began his employment with PennDOT in the District 2 Survey Unit in November 2021. His appetite for mastering the latest survey technology and willingness to help others learn make him an invaluable asset. As Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones) have become a prominent component in modern surveying, he took the initiative to become a licensed drone pilot and has played a vital role in our rapid advance into drone surveying, while assisting coworkers in learning how to operate the equipment and post-processing software. On a recent project in Mifflin County, he accomplished another first for the district: using a remote-controlled drone boat, he conducted a bathymetric survey on the Juniata River, then integrated this data with conventional and aerial drone data to create one continuous surface model.
Jason “JT” Tyler, who resides in Tyrone, began his PennDOT career in 2008 as a Transportation Construction Inspector, later advancing to Transportation Construction Inspector Supervisor in 2014. Since then, he has taken on more complex bridge and betterment projects, most recently managing the $30 million Route 3014 Atherton Street project in downtown State College, Centre County, where his strong communication, organization, and leadership skills played a key role in its successful completion. The scale of coordination required to keep the project moving forward while minimizing disruptions was immense, and managing relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders that included contractors, utility companies, State College Borough, Penn State University, Centre Area Transportation Authority, business owners, residents, and travelers, he addressed all concerns patiently, professionally, and efficiently, reinforcing PennDOT’s commitment to serving communities equitably and responsively.
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, ranging from highway maintenance and driver and vehicle services workers to traffic control specialists, engineers and more.
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